Seer's Handbook
by lisalilsis
Summary: Rose Hathaway is one of the outcasts of the school, looked down and ignored by everyone except her best friend Christian But Rose might not be as ignored as she thought. The new boy, Dimitri, has his eyes trained on her. But Rose has a secret. Her dreams are telling her something. She is seeing someone get killed by the thing she's convinced herself is not real. All human.
1. Chapter 1

"Why did you bring me here?" Natalie's voice cut through the room. Her hand skimmed the top of the armoire caking her fingers in dust.

The walls were chipped, cracking in several areas, and oozed the faded gray paint. There was no sign that this room had been used recently. It was layered in dust that tickled my nose and filled my lungs. The only door was clattered in graffiti, nearly invisible behind the scratches.

Natalie's eyes darted nervously around the room. The glow from the candlelight illuminated her face, showing the weariness sketched plainly on it.

Her eyes settle on the haunted eastern wall. The candles covered every inch of the room except a small circular path in the middle of the cement floor. The light was blinding but I was shocked to see a figure, shrouded in darkness, against the wall. It appeared to be a silhouette, a shadow.

The heat inside the enclosed space caused sweat to dampen my forehead. Wax and crumbling wall filled the air.

I watched the figure approach Natalie. His stance was predatory like a tiger circling his prey. He was tall but he kept close to the wall—away from the light—so that I couldn't see his face. His shoulder made a rustling sound against the wall.

The shadow—for he was still a shadow to me—gripped Natalie's shoulders and pinned her against the wall with an audible thump that brought dust flying in every direction. He leaned in toward her neck and breathed her in. The scene seemed strangely intimate, I felt like an intruder for being there.

His hands were on the wall trapping her in that position. With the candles on the floor their feet seemed to be dancing in fire. Her face had a reddish glow from the reflection but his was strangely still shadowed.

He let one arm fall and reached slowly behind him.

"What is it?" Natalie replied hoarsely. Mischief sparkled in her eyes. I was surprised she wasn't worried about having sneaked out. All her face showed was elation.

Natalie had never sneaked out; she was always too scared about the consequences. But I guess there was something about rebelling with a guy that held her appeal.

In the moonlight a dreary room could be transformed into a lover's palace, I suppose. Mix in candle light and you have a fairy tale worthy getaway.

She looped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his chest. Her neck tilted upward in serenity.

I saw the glint before I realized what it was. The light had reflected perfectly in that moment against an object in his hands. He held it professionally by the handle, and before I could scream he gave one swift jab against the pulse in Natalie's neck.

She didn't even see it coming. As her body slumped onto the gray floor, knocking over several candles, her face still held that peaceful look of serenity. A light smile was on her lips, a ghost of the happiness she was feeling.

I looked in panic towards the door. How long would it take me to run to it? How long before he caught up to me? The chances weren't in my favor. I was never the fastest runner. And with his tall stature, he would surely out run me.

He had his back to me and dragged Natalie to the circle. I couldn't move. Fear clogged every one of my pores. What would he do with me? Was I to take part in this as well? Did he need two young teenage girls, was that the point.

I didn't want to figure it out if that was the plan.

He didn't seem to notice me; he just kept on working, as if no one was there, as if I didn't exist.

He spread Natalie out on the circle and leaked her dripping blood onto a bowl.

The scene was too much for me. I ran like a fool to the door. My hand reached out to grab the rusted doorknob but they caught hold of soft plush instead.

I jumped into a sitting position; sweat dripped down my face and drenched my shirt. I recognized the baby blue walls even in my darkened haze.

I had a fist full of my Elmo doll, which I'm sad to admit I still sleep in, and felt myself immediately relax.

It was just a dream, a horrible nightmare. But this one was clearer I could almost see his face.

* * *

I searched around my room for my favorite jeans. They were worn, ripped and had coffee mug stains on it. I'd bought them when I was thirteen and amazingly they still fit.

I spotted them under my bed and stooped down to pick them up. I quickly slipping them on; nearly tripping in the process.

I ran a hand across my hair and felt my curly mess. It was tangled in its usual thick snarls ensnared within layer of dark hair that only a flame thrower or a battle ax had any chance at fixing.

I put it up in a sloppy bun not even bothering to make it look better. It was too much hassle that I really didn't need.

As soon as I was somewhat acceptable I half stumbled down the stairs, my eyes more asleep than awake. I had to reach out and feel my way to the kitchen. Flashes of red would creep up and cloud my vision. The creamy white walls would be replaced by gray ones when I would blink. It was all too confusing to keep track of.

When I came into the kitchen my stomach gave a vicious growl when it spotted the pancakes my mother had made on the counter. Nothing sounded better than pancakes with butter and syrup. Not exactly healthy but it was extremely delicious.

My stomach gave one last snarl before it turned upside down the second I stuffed a forkful of pancake in my mouth. I had to spit it out. I almost retched in the process, the food that looked so delicious not but 30 seconds ago looked grotesque now.

All I saw was moldy pancakes and butter puss drowned in urine—which was syrup but it looked like urine. My stomach heaved in protest at the sight of it.

I threw it out in the trash. The rotting garbage filled my nostrils with its putrid smell and brought tears to my eyes. My appetite was completely gone.

"Why are you throwing perfectly good food in the trash?" Mia, my older sister, asked. It was just my luck that she happened to walk into the kitchen when I was throwing my food away.

She cocked her left, perfectly tweezed, eyebrow in question and crossed her arms, waiting for my response.

What was I going to tell her, I saw rotting food but it's really all in my head? I gave her the most plausible reason I could think of.

"There was a bug in it." Which could totally happen.

"Eww. That's disgusting." She gagged.

She always gagged. For Mia everything that didn't go with her perfectness was disgusting or gross and should be destroyed immediately.

I knew; I had to live with her for the past 16 years.

"Well I'm not going to eat anything." She decided. She gave me one last glance before leaving the kitchen, but I noticed that her eyes were wary.

Mia had brown hair the same medium shade as mine, but hers was silky and straight totally tame unlike my curly mess. She had a twig skinny body with big boobs that every girl envied. But I think she secretly desired my curvier body because she always seemed to hate it when our aunts complemented my hourglass figure.

I waited in the empty kitchen until I heard Mia's voice call me.

"Rose hurry up we got to get to school." She was already halfway out the front door, the lines of impatience visible on her face.

She was always in a hurry to get to school; too bad it was for the wrong reasons. She was most likely in a hurry to go suck face with Jesse or Ralph or whoever was her latest snack of the weak.

I have a theory that all she eats is saliva because the only thing I have ever seen in her mouth is some guys tongue. Disgusting: Yes, very.

I ran out of the house in time to see the rising sun glimmering over the tops of the neighborhood trees; it was a beautiful sight but its beauty was tarnished by the sight of my sister in the driver seat.

She never lets me drive, even though the Toyota was technically both of ours.

"I'm coming, don't worry, his saliva won't dry out just because you're not there to suck it."

Mia answered by rolling her eyes and flipping me off. Oh how classy.

"Just get in Ro Ro."

Not that name, she knew that name was like the B word to me.

Her eyes looked me up and down when I got in before distain overtook her features. Her nose wrinkled up as if she smelled something bad.

"What?" I was tired of her complaining about my horrible outfits—her words not mine.

"You're dressed like that and you still have to ask why I'm looking at you like this." She sniffed. She pulled the car into reverse and started driving before she continued. "I think I should be asking how hard you got hit in the head when you were a baby because something is clearly not normal."

I couldn't understand what the big problem was. I mean sure I wasn't wearing short skirts and sparkly tank tops like Mia always does, but my black band shirt and combat boots weren't completely odd, right?

"Just shut up and drive." I told her.

"Will do sista, will do."

The car elapsed into silence, like always. There was a gap between Mia and I; a space that was no longer filled. We used to be close. There was a time where you would find us leaping through trees and hanging on branches like monkeys. We were best friends, but I guess blood thins and water thickens.

I stared out of the car window the remainder of the ride so I wouldn't be tempted to ignite another argument. Call it family problems but I loved the sight of my sister with her nostrils flared ready to pitch a fit. It was funny.

Instead I concentrated on the houses. That was safer. I watched the colors of each house blur together with the next so that it looked like one giant paint tablet. The last of the street lights was looming brightly against the rising sun and the cracks from the plastered gray walls—

I tore my eyes open with a shock, not aware that I had closed them to begin with.

"What the hell is a matter with you?" Mia asked. I saw the slightest bit of worry in her eyes before she turned them back to the road.

"I'm fine, just thinking."

"Well don't since you can't seem to handle the simple action of thinking. You'll probably fry your brain from the exertion." She tried to joke. But I heard the concern laced in her words.

"Ha Ha. Very funny," I replied dryly. It actually kind of was and if she hadn't been ripping me I would have laughed—a real one, not the fake one I gave her.

We elapsed back into silence and didn't talk again for the remainder of the ride. It would have been excruciating if the radio wasn't there to fill up the silence.

Mia parked in her usual spot, which she insisted was the cool parking spot. Then, before anyone could see us together, she bolted out of the car. It was the same ritual she did every morning even though we had the same first period. It would make sense for both of us to walk there together but she couldn't risk getting caught with me. It hurt at first but I got used to it because with Mia it was all about doing things the "cool" way.

She sat on the "cool" tables. She went to the "cool" bathrooms—which I though was stupid because why would there be a cool bathroom if you're just going to use it not host a pageant in it—she hanged out with all the cool people.

She basically ran the school with her pretty face; every guy seemed to bend at her mercy when she fluttered her fake lashes. And the girls followed her around like lost puppies feeding on her crumbs. It was pathetic.

Which was why she could not jeopardize her "coolness" by being seen with me, the social leper who was dubbed a freak since middle school.

You see, our relationship was perfect till that fateful moment in sixth grade when everyone decided I wasn't worthy of being normal.

It's not like it was my fault. I just never seemed to fit in with the "normal" crowd. Even Christian, my best and only friend in the world didn't seem quite in tune with me. And he was a freak just like me.

I took my time getting out of the car, exaggerating the movements. Mia shot me a glare but I didn't care. It was her social status at risk, mine couldn't get any lower.

I clutched my bag against my chest and braced myself for the hellhole I was about to enter—school.

The front of the school was swamped with people all waiting to the last minute to enjoy their bit of freedom. I walked to the front of the crowd and watched it part like the red sea.

_Of course no one would want to be pressed against the town freak. _

I passed through like a criminal waiting to be judged. They all looked the other way when I made eye contact like some unspoken rule that dictated against meeting my eye. It was times like these, when the air was so thick of tension it was clouding my vision and when the silence was so loud my ears were ready to burst, that I felt like a true freak.

I pressed my nails so hard against my bag I thought I might have ripped it, but I had to relieve my tension somehow. My eyes searched around from person to person, my hands got clammy with perspiration. I never did like being surrounded by people. I always felt like at any moment a dog pile would happen and they would suffocate me under the smell of dirty shirts and sweaty socks.

I barged in through the front doors, relieved for once to be in school, and hyperventilated in the hallway. I bent over and put my hands against my knees to try and catch my breath.

_I hated mornings._

My breathing slowly went back to normal—thank goodness—and I was able to get up from my hunched position. Class wouldn't start till another 5 minutes, so in true fashion I went to class the long way. I didn't have any reason to worry; my seat was always there when I got there. For whatever reason I was glad, that meant I didn't have to rush to class to snag a seat.

I walked in three seconds before the bell rang and sat down next to my desk partner, Mason. He had fiery red hair that stuck in every direction and freckles covering every inch of his skin. He was the only boy brave enough to sit next to me but even then he wouldn't talk to me. He kept his face facing forward, not even deviating a centimeter. That would have bothered me if I wasn't used to it.

I scanned the classroom in hopes of wasting time before class started. I hated this class—AP Calculus. The name alone made me want to barf but the bright side was worth it. If I passed this class then I wouldn't have math my senior year. I was the only junior in this class, everyone else were seniors. I guess that should make me some sort of a math whiz, which according to my test scores I was. But I hardly studied for this class so I have no idea how my scores got so high.

The class was cut up in its usual social ladder. The geeks were in the front where I was situated and the jocks, cheerleaders, and other "cool" people would sit in the back. I actually never got that. The board is always harder to see from way back so I couldn't get why the back seats were better but whatever, to all its own I guess.

My sister—a senior as well—sat in the back with her girlfriends. They always talked super loud as if everyone else was dying to here there conversation. As if we didn't have anything better to do than hear the conversations of petty girls. Their giggling voices seemed louder today than usual. Try as I may I couldn't block out their voices.

"Oh he's so cute."

"I know right."

"Why doesn't he look back here?"

Of course I knew they would be talking about him. My head moved toward the subject in question as soon as I thought of him and met a pair of chocolate brown eyes.

Of course it had to be him. The object of every girl's fixation. The person whom my sister and her idiotic friends could not stop talking about, the new boy Dimitri.

We don't get a lot of new students so when they do come it's kind of a big deal. But I think Dimitri would have been a big deal regardless.

He was hotness in the flesh—according to the girls in this school. And they made no secret how much they desperately fawned over him. But even I—the social leper—had to admit he was hot.

He had these dark brown locks and chiseled body that was noticeable even with his clothes on. And he was tall. Now I'm not very short I'm around 5'7" but this guy has a good foot on me. By my estimations he was 6'7".

Not that I fawn him, quite the opposite I completely ignore him. And that was hard to do considering that he goes to my school. You would have thought he was a celebrity by the amount of attention he was getting.

He wouldn't have caused this much commotion among the school if he had followed its natural setting. But for all his looks he didn't quite follow the social ladder. He could easily sit in the back. He had been invited by every single girl there, but he always declined with a simple shake of his head.

But here comes the kicker, that I have never told anyone about, that even I myself don't believe. Dimitri stares at me. He sits on the desk behind mine and I always feel his eyes on the back of my head.

At first I didn't quite believe it; I thought I might have something in my hair like gum, but I checked, twice. He did the same thing the next day to the point that I got fed up and stared right back at him. My hazel eyes stared right into his brown ones with an intensity that would make anyone else uncomfortable but he didn't flinch.

We would do the same thing every day like our own freaky form of conversation and today was no different. I looked into his eyes and he didn't look away, he merely cocked his eyebrow in challenge. He never looked embarrassed at having been caught staring. I had to break away first, I always break away first.

We never talk our staring is the only form of contact we share, which would seem like nothing if he did it to other girls. Point being he didn't, he didn't talk to anyone, boy or girl. All the girls who tried to approach him would get the cold shoulder, he wouldn't even spare them a glance.

Even my sister, the prettiest of us all, was shut down by Dimitri. He didn't even look at her.

But for all his efforts it seemed to have backfired. The girls seemed to be drawn to his aloofness. The mystery surrounding him made him sexy.

My sister—never one to back down—had already gone through four boyfriends to show Dimitri how much she was wanted. His answer was, well nothing. It was like he didn't even notice her; even though she was kissing her boyfriend's beside his table.

Frankly no one had heard Dimitri talk, he would just sit quietly next to Eddie, his desk partner, and stare into space or at me not that anyone noticed the latter.

Dimitri's handsome face was all business. His strong jaw was always set, he never smiled or looked pleased or showed any emotion. He was like stone.

If I was a normal girl I would be ecstatic that Dimitri—the hottest guy ever—was staring at me, but this is where my weird paranoia set in. I didn't trust Dimitri. There was something about him that struck a chord in me.

Dimitri arrived at this school right after Natalie disappeared. It could be merely a coincidence and I would have written it off if the dreams hadn't started on Dimitri's first day of school.

**Hey guys. Hopefully you guys liked it. I'm probably going to be updating weekly. Review and tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2 Cafeteria

**I finished this chapter sooner than I expected. Here you go. Tell me what you think.**

"Rose. Rose."

"What?"

"What are your thoughts? Do you want to do it or hold on till later?"

"Hold on. What are you talking about?" I was way too lost in this conversation.

Christian had cornered me outside of my fourth period class to talk gibberish. At least that's what it sounded like to me.

"Did you hear anything I just say?" Christian asked exasperated. I could tell it was something important; he had those wild eyes he gets when he makes a breakthrough.

You see there's a reason why Christian and I don't have friends. Well at least there's a reason why Christian doesn't have friends, my reason is still a mystery to me.

Christian has a past time that is more of an obsession than anything else. He was obsessed with the underworld—hell—and was convinced that there were portals here on Earth that led to it.

He tries to contact the dead on normal days and tries to impress girls on weird days.

Even to me he was freaky, but we freaks stick together. We had seen each other through some tough times, plus I had no one else to sit with in lunch and even an outcast doesn't want to be lonely.

"Yes, I heard you call my name."

"That's not funny I'm serious." He gave me his best serious face which looked more like he was constipated but I got the point.

"Ok sorry. What did you say?"

"I found a book—"

"Stop right there. You come every day saying you found a book and it turns out to be crap." Seriously his dad works in a library, when doesn't he find a book.

"But this times different. I actually read some of it and I think this ones the one."

"Then I hope you and the book have a very lovely relationship. Seriously I'll be rooting for you two." I chirped with fake enthusiasm. Christian cracked a smile but otherwise didn't acknowledge my joke.

"So you going to help me out." He pleaded, he even went as far as fluttering his eyelashes and pouted his chapped lips. He hadn't done that since we were twelve so it didn't have the same effect it used to. This time around it only made me bark up a laugh so loud Russians in Moscow heard me.

Christian tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for my laughing tirade to finish.

"Ok that's enough laughing at my expense. Seriously Rose shut up." Christian said when after two minutes I still hadn't stopped laughing. I could tell he was trying to sound angry but I could hear the smile in his voice.

I was between my sixth or seven hundredth laugh when I heard it. A loud clanking sound on the floor and it was approaching fast. But I couldn't stop laughing, even Christian had joined in.

The clanking sound stopped a few feet away from us but I managed to see what it was. Three sets of heels large enough to poke an eye out stood next to the water fountain about ten feet away.

I looked up in time to see their owners glare at me, their faces mingled with disgust and disbelieve.

Sure most of our laughing happened in the confines of Christian's bedroom but they shouldn't look so amazed that we actually do laugh.

"Uhh. Look at those losers." One of the girls said, Lissa I believe her name was. She was with two other girls, but she appeared to be the leader in their little click. The statement alone would have pissed me off but what really threw the match in my internal fire was the look that they gave us. It was one that said we were scum on their shoe.

They effectively stopped our laughing. I wanted to punch them in those glossed up lips of theirs for ruining the moment of happiness Christian and I were sharing.

All three of them were wearing heels but Jackie was the one dressed more extravagant. She wore this beautiful golden dress that her blond hair seemed to mix in with. Her jade green eyes sparkled with mischief. They all looked like they had just walked off of the run way. Their hair was perfect, not one hair out of place and their makeup was done to perfection.

You could almost taste the plastic when you looked at them.

Instead of beating the life sized barbies half to death, like I so badly wanted to do, I walked away with Christian. I knew I was being the bigger man for walking away but right now I wanted to be the little man because at least he gets to bash their faces.

"Don't worry about them Rose. They're assholes anyways." Christian said as we walked away. He smiled down at me and put his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. Sometimes I didn't get why Christian was alienated—other than the obvious—he was so nice and caring. And he never let anything get to him; it was like he was content with being a freak.

I looked at him through my periphery and saw what everyone else might see. Black messy hair and blue eyes that contrasted to the extreme with his pale skin. He wore all black from head to toe and had this weird trench coat that made him look like a bootleg vampire. Honestly he looked like evil incarnate, like he could kill you at any moment.

Christian being the weirdo he was loved it. Only I knew what a real marshmallow he was.

Christian had the tendency of being squeamish at the sight of blood. And in more than one occasion had fainted at the sight of it. I unfortunately found that out the hard way when I scraped up my arm and instead of Christian helping me I had to carry him to his bedroom when he fainted.

"So underworld searching at your house." I said, changing the subject. It worked, Christian's face immediately brightened up at my words.

"Alright Rose we got ourselves another lead." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation and gave me his famous devilish smile. "Maybe this time we'll figure it out."

I didn't want to tell him that it probably wouldn't happen. The underworld didn't exist. I humor Christian because he's my best friend, but I knew it wasn't real.

* * *

Christian and I sat in our usual lunch table, way in the back corner away from everyone else. We found it easier to be ourselves when we were out of everyone's sight.

Still you couldn't block everyone's annoying voice and we could still see them so it wasn't too great.

I nearly stuffed napkins in my ears to block off what some of the girls were saying. It always had to do with make-up or a cute boy but a shrill voice made my ears perk up. More by what she was saying than by her voice because her voice was enough to make anyone want to claw their eyes out.

"I wonder what he's doing here; he never comes to the cafeteria." She cried out.

It was impossible to not know who she was talking about. Who else never came to the cafeteria, or interacted with humans for that matter.

Immediately the buzz of girl's voices grew to an excruciating level, clearly excited at this prospect.

"You think if I ask him out he'll say yes."

"Maybe if I pull my shirt lower."

"I'll put some of my cherry lip gloss that way he'll notice my lips."

Every word was more pathetic than the next. And it all had to do with him, Dimitri. I couldn't even concentrate with what Christian was telling me which had something to do with sandwiches. Or maybe I was just really hungry.

"Who is he staring at, it can't be at her." The same annoying pitchy voice said. Of course all their voices were annoying to me so I couldn't be sure if it was the same.

I almost looked up but I figured that would be too vain of me. I mean I only have him for one class, maybe I was wrong and he stares at a lot of girls. Maybe I have had gum in my hair these past two weeks and I've missed it in the shower—as illogical as that sounds.

"Hey, Ro. Rose. Rose." Christian called. I ignored him, too lost in my thoughts to pay attention to what Christian was talking about but he wasn't having that.

"Ouch." I cried out when Christian elbowed me, hard, on the ribs.

"What was that for?" I sneered because ow that really hurt.

"Sorry, but that was the only way to get your attention." He chuckled. I signaled for him to continue. "The new guy is staring at you." He smirked. "He's looking at you all lovey dovey." He made little kissing noises and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Be quiet." I whispered in panic. Hopefully nobody noticed that. What would they say? Worse yet what would Dimitri say. Not that I care more about what he has to say.

I choked back my internal tirade and looked up to see several curious faces but of more importance I saw Dimitri staring straight at me. He was sitting in the extreme edge of the bench. His torso and head were inclined in my direction.

This was the first time he had ever looked at me outside of the classroom. I couldn't help the butterflies that seemed to have erupted in my stomach. His strong jawline quivered and for a second everything seemed to stand still. The only thing that seemed important in that moment were his eyes, those chocolate brown eyes that have haunted me these past two weeks, those eyes that were looking at me so intensely I felt as if I would burst into flames.

He turned away abruptly, and the spell ended, everything went back to normal. The gush of sound came back and everyone came to view. It was no longer me and him we were back in the cafeteria—not that we ever left but it felt like we did. It only lasted a second but it seemed so much more than that.

I watched as Dimitri gathered his things and fled the cafeteria in a frenzy; So much for spending time with humans.

"I bet he stared because she's so weird."

"Did you see how he just looked away when she looked up, she probably freaked him out."

"Of course anyone would be freaked out when looking at that."

And just like that the mystery as to why Dimitri was looking at me was solved. Even I was starting to believe what everyone was saying because there was no way someone like Dimitri would be interested in me—even if he might be a sociopathic murderer, he would still have better taste.

I tugged on my brow hard enough to rip hairs—a nervous tendency I never quite got rid of—so I wouldn't have to face the bitter truth. I was a freak and no one would be interested in me.

"Don't listen to them Rose they're idiots." Christian grabbed my shoulder as if to shake some sense in me. "I saw the way that kid looked at you and it didn't have anything to do with your freakiness."

"Gee thanks, you kind of ruined it in the end though."

"No I didn't. I think your freakiness is your best asset, everyone else just doesn't know how to appreciate it." He placed his pointer finger on my chin and lifted my head up. "And always keep this up, never down." He advised

"Wow, to what do I owe all these complements," Because the last time I got these many complements from Christian we were thirteen and he was trying to convince me to give a letter to my sister on his behalf.

"Dude, you're my friend. We might tease each other all the time, but at the end of the day you got my back and I got yours." He said. His blue eyes dead serious, there was no joke in them.

I swallowed back the strong emotions I was feeling and gave him my most sincere smile.

"Come on we've got to get to class." He jumped up and grabbed my arm. I was surprised when I saw that nearly everyone was out of the cafeteria. I was so caught up in my emotional roller coaster I failed to register the bell.

Christian lead me out of the cafeteria by the arm like a five year old but I managed to take one last glance back. There was no one left in the room but slight movement made me aware of a shadowy figure slumped against the wall. I blinked in shock and it was gone. The cafeteria was empty again; I felt chills run all over my body.

What the hell was a matter with me?

I didn't look back again least I see something else that apparently wasn't there.


	3. Chapter 3 books

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"Rose. Rose" Mia whispered urgently. "What are you doing in the car so soon; you know you're suppose to wait at least fifteen minutes after the bell rings before coming in."

"I did." I answered back annoyed. Mostly because I had to wait in the parking lot under the scorching sun to get in the car when I could have been in the air conditioned car several minutes ago.

"No it's only been thirteen minutes." She whispered back. I waited to see if she was kidding but her face was serious.

"Two minutes. You're bitching at me for two freaking minutes."

"Calm down, there's no need to shout but you should know better." She admonished.

Sometimes I didn't know if my sister was stupid or she just acted stupid.

"Let's change the subject shall we." She suggested in her Martha Stuart voice. You know the voice where she thinks she's better than you are but still says it sweetly like if it isn't obvious.

"Fine whatever," Anything was better than this.

"Why was Dimitri staring at you." She said her voice uninterested. But I knew my sister and she was very interested. I gave her the same answer every one else seemed to have concluded to.

"I don't know Mia maybe he wanted to see how much of a freak I am."

Her eyes snapped to me and there was no more pretense that she wasn't interested anymore.

"He's in our class and sits right behind you. He's already gotten an eyeful of you. If he wanted to know how big of a freak you are he would do it there."

Ouch. That hurt, more because it was my sister instead of the ass hats in school.

I turned my head toward the window so my sister wouldn't see the tears. She still managed.

"Rose I didn't mean that." Mia said. Her voice was ringing with sincerity. She always does this, lets slip what she really thinks of me and then thinks because she takes it back then everything is ok.

I always forgave her in the end though because no matter how much her words hurt I knew they were true. I couldn't punish her for her honesty.

I turned to look at her and saw the concern brimming in her eyes. Damn her and her twinkling blue eyes that gets her everything she wants.

I could feel the anger slowly evaporate. I could never stay mad at her, because for some unknown reason I loved her to death.

She seemed to realize that our fight was over because her face immediately brightened up. She always gets what she wants after all.

"Do you think he was curious about you because he heard we were sisters—No I got it, he is obviously too shy to come talk to me because I'm popular and always surrounded by people. But since you're my sister he could tell you to pass it on to me." She smiled completely satisfied. Her eyes got that glazed over look she gets when she's lost in a day dream.

It use to freak the hell out of me when she did it while driving but I got used to it.

The thing with Mia was when she convinced herself about something she really did believe it.

"Oh." She gasped. "Rose we have to give you a makeover. Dimitri can't see you like this; you have to look remotely normal so he won't get the wrong impression of me." Mia said like it made perfect sense.

I never understood how everything she said always revolved around getting me a makeover. It was always the same thing: Rose I need to buy eggs so you need a makeover or Rose we're going to Disneyland so you need a makeover. Ehh makeover, the word was a cosmic bitch slap if I've ever heard one. It basically meant you look like shit so let me change you so you look remotely human.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I had enough problems without the school thinking that the little freak was trying to fit in.

"Fine it was just a suggestion." She said. Her voice took on a dreamy quality when she continued. "What do you think his lips feel like; you think it's smooth and delicious or hard and rough."

I really didn't want to answer that especially since I myself had wondered that same question. Not because I like him or anything it was merely morbid curiosity. Which was understandable considering I had never kissed anyone; a girl could day dream about kissing a hot guy even if that hot guy was Dimitri.

"I don't know, I really haven't thought about him that way."

Ok so I was a big liar, but it was better than fessing up.

"How could you not?" She said surprised. "I mean seriously Rose every girl in that school has had at least one dirty dream about him."

"What?" What?

"Of course, there is not one girl in that school that has not dreamed of ripping his clothes off." She sighed. "And other things less kindly to say." She grinned making her dimples pop out.

"So you've had dirty dreams about Dimitri." My voice went whisper soft when I said his name. It was embarrassing how just saying his name could affect me.

Mia turned off the engine before turning her whole torso in my direction, for once excited to be talking to me.

I was actually shocked to see we were home already, so it took me longer than usual to see the wide grin on her face. Her eyes a bit bashful but the lust haze was evident.

"Rose the better question is when don't I have dirty dreams about Dimitri." She grabbed her neck and closed her eyes in passion. She sighed—or more like moaned—before opening them. "And last night's dream was the best so far." She licked her lips and gave one last sigh before getting out of the car.

"Wait, that's all you're going to tell me?" I practically shouted.

"Yes because there my dreams not yours." She gave me another wicked smile before going inside.

It didn't seem fair, these past two weeks all I've been getting were my nightmares and Mia gets the lip smacking moan producing dreams.

I followed her inside are yellow house before plopping down on one of my mother's lime green cushion. The cushion alone would have been a monstrosity but my mother—a miracle worker—made it go well with the yellow patterned wall and dark green couches.

I loved/hated this house. On the plus side it was my haven away from the constant ridicule of school but it did have its disadvantages. Mostly in the name of my mother who aside from loving me thought it was her job to "fix" me. With her it was always why don't you dress like a lady, don't you want to look pretty, why aren't you more like Mia. Though she didn't exactly say the latter I know she was thinking it.

I popped in my ear phones and blasted the music in hopes that I would avoid my mom but try as I may she still got to me.

My earphones were ripped out of my ears in an instant and instead of an earful of music I got an earful of mom.

"Rose, how many times have I told you to not use this while I'm talking to you." She yelled. The lines on her forehead became more prominent and the vein on her temple pulsed almost bursting its blue jelly.

"Sorry mom I didn't notice you were talking." I replied almost bashfully because I knew I was lying.

"You certain of that." She narrowed her blue eyes and gave me the look. I was always a good liar but my mother had a way of seeing through my lies.

She waited with her eyes narrowed till I fessed up.

"Fine, I heard you." I admitted. "I was just trying to avoid this talk." I mumbled out.

My mother had recently picked out the habit of trying to find me friends. Last week it was with the elderly neighbors niece who according to my mother was a nice girl. And don't get me wrong I'm not picky about friends or anything. I did actually go there and say hi but the girl wasn't quite what I expected. She turned out to be 12, and if the age wasn't enough of a downer her obsession was. Her back pack and folder were covered in strawberry shortcake pictures. I knew right there that this friendship would never go anywhere and decided to drop it.

"I'm just worried about you sweetie, it's not natural for a girl of your age to not have any friends." She said, the lines of concern showing on her face. My mother looked a lot like my sister, they had the same features that defined there beauty. It also meant that my mother had no idea what it meant to not fit in.

"I do have a friend mom, remember Christian, he's been my best friend since the sixth grade." I hated how she easily discredited Christian, as if he didn't count.

"Yes, Christian." She said his name like if it left a bad taste in her mouth. "I wanted to talk to you about him. I don't think he's a good friend for you to have. Did you know that, that boy reads devil worshipping books and I heard from Kirova that she saw that boy try to contact the dead." She said whisper soft.

Of course Kirova would say something like that. She was the biggest gossip in town. She knew everything about everyone right down to their date of birth. What I didn't understand was how she found out about Christian contacting the dead. We usually did that in his bedroom, unless—and this is freaky to even think about—Kirova peaks in through the windows.

"Mom please, I know Christian like the back of my hand, if you ever want to know anything about him you come talk to me don't rely on what other people have to say." Even if they got half of it right but she didn't need to know that.

"I just don't like the looks of that boy. He doesn't look like a good influence." My mom always the worried one. "Can't you make decent friends."

"Mom, I understand why you would think that but what friends can I make. You want me to befriend the people who call me loser and freak every day."

Her mouth turned into a hard line. She never did like the fact that I was the school freak. She always blamed it on herself even though I told her many times that it wasn't her fault. That it was me, that it is me.

"Ok sweetie." Her eyes turned kind. "I trust your judgment. And Christian is a nice boy. You know me I always get caught up in Kirova's stories, but I can't help listening when it affects you." She patted my head softly and ruffled my thick curls, her signal to announce the conversation was over.

"So what are you doing today." She asked as she walked to the kitchen. Her voice sounded far away, probably more concentrated on the cookies on the table than the actual question she asked.

"I'm just going to hang out with Christian today." I flinched. Please don't say no.

It took her longer than usual to answer but when she did it was in resignation. "Fine, if that's what you want to do then take the Toyota—"

"No, no, no!" Mia yelled from the kitchen. Her voice shrill as nails. She came bargaining into the living room with the fury of hell written on her beautiful face. "She can't take the Toyota, I'm taking it. The girls and I are going to the mall and I already promised I'd drive. Please Mom." She puckered her full pink lips and fluttered her eyelashes in a way that mom couldn't resist.

I could see her walls crumbling when she took a look at Mia before conceding to her wish.

"I guess you could take the car Mia." She exhaled. I already knew it was going to end this way, nobody denied anything from Mia.

"Thanks mom love you." She leaned over and kissed my mom on both cheeks before taking her winnings; the keys to the car that only she seemed to drive. I could have argued that I never get to drive it but what was the point, I knew I wasn't going to win.

There was something about me that made me an outcast even in my own family. I would never win against Mia and I would never win against any other girl in the planet. I couldn't quite grasp what was wrong with me. I mean I acted normal enough; I didn't have any weird obsessions like Christian.

All I know is that in the middle of sixth grade everything changed, instead of being Mia's little sister I became a freak.

The only explanation I came up with is that the freak gene kicked in and everybody but me seemed to notice it. Either way it left me friendless until Christian came along.

"I guess I'll just walk to Christian's house."

"Ok sweetie, be careful. Don't come back too late, your father wouldn't like it." My mother said before she walked back into the kitchen.

"So Rose you're going to visit your boyfriend Christian." Mia teased.

"Eww." Seriously eww. I've known Christian for a really long time and I see him more like a brother. The thought of Christian and I together is as gross as the thought of a brother and a sister together. Both are just wrong and should never happen.

"Sheesh, Rose, no need to be mean." She giggled. "But Christian is gross so I can understand why you said that. Remember when he tried giving me that love note. Eww." She gagged.

"Christian isn't gross," I said a bit defensive. "He's misunderstood. And you should think yourself lucky that someone as cool as Christian liked you once."

"Cool." She laughed out loud. "Rose, Christian and cool definitely don't belong in the same sentence." She finished between laughs.

So maybe describing Christian as cool wasn't the smartest idea.

"What I mean is that he's amazing and my best friend so you can't say he's gross, only I'm allowed to call him that." I warned.

"Ok, fine I won't say anything about your boyfriend anymore."

I almost punched her in the face. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"Ok then, whatever you say." She called as she jingled the keys, taunting me a bit before she walked out the door.

It wouldn't be Mia unless she rubbed it in a little.

I quickly gathered my bag and clutched it tightly to my chest before walking out into the fresh breeze. Sure walking isn't as cool as driving—according to Mia—but I happened to enjoy walking. Or maybe it was my quest to do everything the uncool way which made me pick walking. Either way the world seemed to always look better to me when the echo of gravel bounced off my feet. It made me feel like technology hasn't quite taken over if someone could do something as simple as walk.

I walked to Christian's house with two things on my mind first robots better not take over the world; I don't think I would do well if humanity was enslaved by machines. And second, Christian better have found something important in that book of his. I was getting tired of reading myth after myth each seeming more unreal than the next.

Ten minutes later I made it to Christian's house. His house was about four blocks away from mine and in the times when I had to walk to his house—which was every time—it really came in handy, living so close.

I gave my signature 3 knock beat on the door before his mother, Mrs. Ozera answered. She was a woman in her mid-forties; her jet black hair was pulled in its usual tight bun. Her clothing were the embodiment of the classic business woman with her black pencil skirt and white collar shirt, both smoothed out as if they were freshly ironed.

I had been to Christian's house about a million times but each time Mrs. Ozera gave me the same look. It was a look that I have been accustomed too, just about every one—aside from my family, Christian, and though it pains me to admit it Dimitri—gave me when staring directly into my eyes. It was a look filled with genuine fear.

I quickly side stepped her before I gave her a heart attack and let myself into the house.

Christian's house was everything he wasn't. It was orderly, classy, and perfect with beautiful Venetian couches smothered in white fluffy pillows and huge hand carved—according to Mrs. Ozera—tables.

It was too perfect. The furniture was as fresh as the day they bought it. I was always afraid to touch any of it in fear that I would ruin its perfection.

I headed towards the stair well and ran up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. I needed to get out of the stifling room; it was so clouded up with smugness I was nearly choking on it.

I barged into Christian's room, yelling "boo" as I came in. Christian was half sprawled on his bed, mauling over a new comic. He looked seemingly unaffected by my interruption even though it was loud and I'm sure the house might have shook a bit from the force of the door smashing against his poster wrapped wall.

"I knew you were coming." Christian said ominously while turning the page of his comic. He always seemed to know when I was here. "You might be wondering how I knew." He said, still not looking up from his book.

"No." I lied.

"Liar you always want to know." He smirked, finally turning his head in my direction. "And just because I'm feeling nice I'm going to tell you."

"Oh great one, tell me what I need to know." I quipped. He smiled smugly. Clearly the signals going through that thick skull of his were off because he didn't notice that I was being sarcastic.

"You always seem to suck the entire atmosphere out of my house like some black hole leaving it empty." The seriousness in his voice made me shiver. I always noticed how a room would go quiet when I entered but I always thought that it was all in my head. Or at the very least that it happened to everyone. Having my suspicion confirmed made me feel paranoid; like everyone was in on what made me a freak but me. I felt left out in my own secret.

"What do you mean empty?" Because that was the real question, how could any person leave a room empty?

"Just listen for a second, what do you hear?" He whispered. I perked my ears and tried to listen to what he was talking about, but there was nothing.

"Christian I can't hear anything." I whined. If this was one of Christiian's jokes he shouldn't be standing so close to me.

"Exactly," He said.

"What?"

"My mother is never quiet, she's always talking to someone on the phone or humming in that overly excited voice she always uses." He rolled his eyes showing how much he hated that voice. "And do you hear her now?" He asked. I was starting to get what he was talking about.

"You mean she always gets quiet when I come?" I couldn't believe it. How could I would have this much effect on a person? I always heard gossip about what a talker Mrs. Ozera was, but I've never heard a peep out of her. I was beginning to think that all that gossip about her was a lie. Well until Christian burst my bubble.

"Yep; and that's how I know that you're here because the house gets unusually quiet whenever you're around. It's like you completely suck the life out of my mother leaving her—

"Empty." I finished. I couldn't believe it; what had I ever done to her? Was it just gossip? Did Mrs. Ozera here something about me? Did she make her own conclusions and labeled me untrustworthy. Was I not even worth a simple acknowledgement in her books?

Even as I said it I knew it wasn't true. There was something else, something more that I was missing. Everyone in town couldn't be this stupid to believe some nonsense rumors that didn't even make sense. They had nothing on me except for the label of freak; there was no explanation to that label.

"Rose?" Christian snapped his fingers in front of my face interrupting my internal conflict.

"What?" I replied.

"What's with you, you've been inside your own head rather than on your feet these past two weeks." He looked me straight in the eye and the concern I saw there almost made me tell him about the dream. Almost, but I chickened out.

"I'm just tired, I haven't been sleeping well." I lied, hoping it wouldn't show on my face.

It made me feel a guilty when he didn't question my lie. Christian and I never lied to each other. So I wondered, why all the secrets now. Especially to Christian who knew everything and then some about me.

"So you want to study the book now." Christian asked. He made it sound like a question but I could hear the desire under his voice. There was no putting it off when it came to his obsession.

"Like I have a choice," I grumbled. I was still a bit ticked off over having to study another one of his books.

"Good." He seemed satisfied enough with my answer and went to go fetch the book like an over eager puppy. Of course the son of a librarian would drool over books.

He went no further than his bed and flipped the book out from under his pillow. It was all leather like an over-sized journal, the color so faded it was almost impossible to know what the original color had been. The bind was gnawed off as if Christian had gotten a little too over joyed and bit it, and the title was scrawled on in big old fashioned writing.

The book looked like it had come straight out of Dracula's castle but that wasn't what made me shiver. It was thick, the pages reaching up to the zillions. The sight alone made me quiver in my dark brown, ready to kick ass, combat boots.

"What the hell is this?" He better be joking or else Christian was looking at serious head up his ass time.

"It's the book." He shot back though his stance had turned a bit wary. I guess he notice the don't mess with me look on my face. Or maybe the I'm about to kick your ass posture I was holding. Either way it looked like he knew he was in big trouble.

"Book, that's no book. That's a freaking encyclopedia."

"What? No its not, it's the book." He retorted, but I thought I saw him take a quick glance at the book just to make sure.

"I know that, what I'm saying is couldn't you find a book bigger than the United States." I sassed.

"This book is big." My goodness this boy needs to know what sarcasm is and quick.

"Really." I made my voice sound like an airhead. "Because I thought it was small."

"Ro, shut up and get reading. Stop trying to wiggle yourself out of reading." He guessed. _Damn_, I was hoping this banter would go on longer and cut through reading time.

"Fine." I surrendered and flopped on the floor. There was no distraction in the world that could get Christian out of reading. Even if Pamela Anderson walked in topless, he would still be more interested in the book on his lap.

"Good." He ran his fingers through his dark locks before signaling me to come next to him.

"I found out that the book is separated into sections." He pointed out once I joined him. We were both sitting crossed legged on his bed with the book on our laps. His deep black comforter felt cotton soft against my legs. I felt like I was sitting on a giant black marshmallow.

"What kinds of sections?"

"Well the underworld section is split in two parts, there's first the actual description of hell." He whispered. "And then there's the demon section."

"Ok so we just read the first part and there." _Seemed simple enough._

"That's what I thought. But I found something very interesting in the demon section. It described a ritual to send a demon to hell." He looked excited, his dark eyes showed a boyish mirth. "It's not like the other ones we've read about that just traps the demon in one spot. With this ritual you could banish him from this world and send him to the fiery pits."

"What? And more importantly why the hell would we need to know that?"

"Well you never know what could happen. We need to be prepared. But it's actually quiet hard to send one to hell. Killing them is much simpler."

"Yeah, Yeah I know." Christian and I had spent a whole week, a couple of months back, learning incantations to kill demons. Each incantation was several phrases of Latin words that had to be said precisely, if you pronounced even one word wrong it wouldn't work.

"Well it says in this book that to send a demon to hell you have to drop three dots from the blood of the willing, and a virgin with the intention of sending the demon to hell should kiss the demon to seal the deal." He finished.

"A kiss, really?"

"Yeah. It has something to do with the purity of the virgin. A demon is everything unholy in this world. He wouldn't be able to stand the pureness of that kiss; even if it is intended to send him to hell." His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "But what's the willing?" He asked.

"Someone who willingly gives up their blood." I stated the obvious.

"Ohh. Well that's that. I can't seem to find anything about opening a portal though.

"So this whole search is useless." I exasperated.

"No, there was something not quite adding up. I think it's somewhere in the demon section but I can't find it." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and stared at his wall, as if it had all the answers to the world.

"And that's why you need me." I guessed.

"Yes." He said still not looking away from the wall. "Those eyes of yours miss nothing, there like hawk eyes only scarier."

"What?" I asked startled. That was the first time he had referred to my eyes as scary. And even though it was only Christian, something about it didn't feel right.

"Hmm."

"What about my eyes?"

"Oh nothing it's just that your eyes get really scary sometimes. I feel like you could see right through me. I feel naked like you've stripped me of all my secrets." He sounded far away. I knew he was more concentrated on the thought of the demon than on the question he answered but it still made me shiver.

"So you need my naked stripping eye." I tried to joke but it fell flat against the panic bubbling up in my chest.

"In lack of a better word yes." Christian agreed. I was thankful that he was preoccupied with the book so he wouldn't notice the full blown panic attack I almost had.

"Ok then let me have at it." I didn't know until several hours later how much I would regret saying those words.


	4. Chapter 4 In which the pages are stuck

**Hey guys! Hopefully you like this chapter, and this story. Let me know if you think its any good or if it sucks in the review button in the bottom. It would totally make my day. **

I spent hours, wasting valuable homework time reading through the demon section, the underworld section, I even skimmed through the witch section in my desperation but nothing, nada, siltch.

I didn't know why I was trying so hard. There was just something in Christian's eager face that made me want to find this for him. Especially after all the times he tried to cheer me up when I was down; I felt like I owed it to him to do something back.

My eyes were so blurry by the time I reread the page about roots to kill the evil in your soul that I nearly collapsed. My face was already an inch from the book and I was about a second away from falling asleep on it.

"Rose, it's only nine o clock, how are you sleepy?" Christian asked wide awake. I should have known Christian would be as fresh as a wipy. He was a night owl choosing to stay awake most of the night. I always thought he was an idiot for doing so but he did have a point. His parents couldn't catch him doing the riskier things when they were sleeping.

"Fine, I'm going home then." I stood up to leave when a sudden thought hit me. "Christian mind if I take the book with me."

"What?" His eyes widened in surprise. The look of shock was almost comical on his face. But I couldn't blame him, since when did I want to take home a book to read? I was shocked myself at my request but I guess sleepy me was a masochist if she would willingly give up sleep to read a book that just about fried her brain.

"You heard me, give me the book so I could find the missing piece."

"Fine." He said, his voice was a bit wary from my odd request but otherwise had no problem with it.

"Here." He passed me the book like if it was a precious baby and looked me straight in the eye. "If anything happens to her I am holding you accountable for it." He reprimanded. But the warning sort of lost its meaning when he referred to the book as her. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Her, what the hell is it a person now. What happened to the good old days when books were only objects? All of a sudden they're your new friend."

He shrugged. "Books are nicer than actual people. They don't talk shit about you like people do so why not make them you're friend."

I had to admit he did have a point there.

"Ok fine whatever you say, Christian. I'll see you tomorrow." I waved as I grabbed the oversized journal and made my way out of his room. I was almost out when something on his dresser caught my eye. There was about a million cloths stacked on top of it but if I craned my neck I was able to make out what it was.

It was a book that looked almost identical to the one I was holding but the title was different. The book on Christians dresser title was worn out; you could barely make out what it said. But I was sure the title said The Seer's Handbook.

I quietly tiptoed down the stairs. Christian followed. He was adamant that he should walk me all the way home because it was night. I quietly told him that it was fine but I was distracted enough with Christian that I didn't see the person at the bottom of the stairs until it was too late. I collided against a hard chest. Two arms reached out reflexively to steady me. Their hands felt rough against my skin; their fingers butchered with thousands of paper cuts.

I looked up into my perpetual saviors eyes and saw the same blue eyes that Christian had, the only difference was the message they were sending. His kind face was a stark contradiction to the fear bulging out of the rim of his eyes.

"Sorry." I rushed out. "I didn't mean too."

"It's ok Rose." He said. I didn't miss the fact that he turned his face away from me.

"I was just going." I nodded to the door but Christian decided that it was the perfect time to ask his dad to give me a ride home.

"Honestly you don't need to bother yourself. I only live four blocks away." I rubbed the back of my neck reflexively.

"Its fine Rose, I could give you a ride." Mr. Ozera said slowly, almost unsurely.

"See Rose, my dad could take you home, and I'll come with you guys. Besides, you being alone at night is like an open invitation for rapists. "

Christian left me no chance to protest, he pushed me along to the garage and made me go into his father's minivan with him. I climbed into the back seat, Christian took shot gun, and buckled myself in. The car smelled like the strawberry car freshener that was placed next to the radio. The smell always made me dizzy. I cracked the window open to let in some air—and to get the god awful car freshener scent out before I barfed.

The ride home was quite but not uncomfortable. My head drooped comfortably against my seat, nearly falling asleep until Christian tapped me in the shoulder. I looked up annoyed, and noticed that we were outside my house.

I quickly jumped out and thanked Christian and his dad before going in.

When I went in the house it was dark. The only light came from my sister's room; her lights shined from underneath her bedroom door. My parents were predictably asleep already; they always slept at promptly nine o clock.

I went to my room in a hurry. I was exhausted to say the least and my eyes literally gave up halfway up the stairs. I felt my way to my room. My fingers brushed along the prickly walls. The chipped paint came off easily when my nails scratched against it, and I felt it. There was heat blowing on my face making it water down my neck and pour into my chest. Dust made its way down my throat clogging it, my lungs filled up with dirt. I managed to crack open an eye and that's when I saw it, him, the shadowed man. He was in my house, come to get me at last.

I wanted to scream for my mom, my dad, hell I'd even scream for Mia but my mouth was pressed against something.

I struggled to sit up right, I was sprawled on my stomach, my mouth pressed against the cement floor I was nearly licking the dirt off it. I tried to keep my eyes on the shadow. He was with Natalie again but she was already dead. Her eyes were glassy and lifeless. You could see right through them. Her pale green eyes were no longer vibrant, and the cream color of her skin was already paling.

I watched in disgust as he placed his hands in her blood and proceeded to smear it on the floor. It was almost like he was finger painting. My nostrils flared, I had to do something.

I couldn't move, couldn't speak. The only thing I was capable of was blinking. Maybe he shot me with a tranquilizer, that would explain why I was so numb.

I managed to peak at the drawing and saw an intriket crest with two spades going through it. And above it there was something like a word, if only I could move my head a little I'd be able to see it.

I managed to move my hands a little, though it still caused me to go out of breath from the exertion, my hand accidentaly touched one of the candles and I recoiled in pain when my fingertips brushed along the fire. The movement caused a candle to be knocked over.

It was like in slow motion I saw it tumble slowly to the floor, and then, impossibly so, the small thud it made on the floor caused the shadow to freeze. I felt fear pump in every one of my veins as I saw him slowly turn around and just when I was about to see his face a loud noise blasted close to my ear.

It was screeching, horrible, a sound straight from hell. I turned towards the noise and opened my eyes to see my alarm clock ringing the ungodly sound.

I sat up quickly rumpling my sheets and hit the alarm clock with my fist to shut it up.

I couldn't take this; I didn't know what was reality and what was dream anymore. I thought for sure I was there, I didn't even remember falling asleep.

Did I even go to Christian's house yesterday? I looked around my room for something to prove that what happened yesterday actually happened. That it wasn't some dream when my eyes landed on it.

The book, it was right there placed on top of my desk. I knew I had to get ready for school but when I untangled myself from the covers I didn't go to my closet like I was supposed to. I went to my desk—don't ask me why because I don't even know—and opened up the book again.

I didn't know what I was looking for; I had practically memorized the whole entire book, but there was something there that didn't feel right to me. I flipped through the book like a possessed woman and saw the page I was looking for.

In my exhaustion last night I had barely registered it but now my fingers were itching to find it. You would never know the difference if you were passing through the book, hell I didn't even see anything wrong till about the hundredth time of going through it but there it was.

It was the last page of the demon section right before the witch craft section but something seemed wrong about it like it was unfinished.

I scanned through the last paragraph again reading the words I knew so well.

_They are an evil so tightly bound only mortal blood could sustain it in its depth. It lurks in the fiery pits of the other world doomed to live eternity enslaved to their heathen lord. But their shadow rises and brings them forth to our world where they too will enslave our souls. _

It was the shadow part that got me. It was the first time they ever mentioned anything about a shadow but they didn't explain it any further. I nearly scratched my brains out in frustration until I noticed it. There was a tiny microscopic fold in the corner of the page. It was nearly invisible. There was a corner of another page sticking out, one that was underneath.

I tried to fold back the page more and noticed that it was stuck. The two pages were stuck; there was another page underneath.

I couldn't believe it; how could I miss that? I opened up my desk drawers and looked for something to pry open the pages without ripping them. I ended up finding my bitten and chewed on lucky pencil from elementary and figured that would do.

I slid it under the fold and popped it up like a cork. I was kind of surprised at how easy it came up; it didn't even pitch me a fight.

I smoothed out the page and read it in a hurry—my clock was still ticking and although I wished it would stand still for a moment it wouldn't budge. I didn't know why I was so excited to read it; I just knew that I had too, I felt it. But that initial excitement faded quickly when I got to the last paragraph.

I couldn't believe it; I didn't want to believe it. Whatever the reason, fate was laughing at me now because this couldn't be right.

This had to be some freaky coincidence. I needed to talk to Christian, now.

* * *

I was a bigger mess than usual; my hair was an untamable dark beast and the bags under my eyes were deep purple making it seem like I hadn't slept at all which was odd considering I had more than eight hours of sleep.

I waited for Christian beside the big red wall that held us in prison. I had called him right at seven with the news. Remembering it now he didn't seem like he got much of what I was saying. He was still about ninety percent asleep.

I had grabbed my silver cell and went to the only person on my contact list that wasn't my mom or Mia. Pretty pathetic to have only three people on your contact list but it always made it easier to find the number.

"What?" Christian mumbled into the phone when he answered. He sounded like he was still dreaming which was odd considering we had to be in school in like half an hour.

"Christian it's me Rose I have to tell you about—"

"Of course it's you."Christian interrupted; his voice still rough from sleep. "Who else calls me but you?"

"Yeah, I know but now is not the time; I have to show you something about the book. I think I found it."

"Really," Christian said. His voice was wide awake now.

"Meet me in the side of the school. Please get there before the bell rings I don't want to be late."

"You got it." His voice held the excitement I knew he was feeling.

I just hope that Christian honors his agreement and gets here before school starts. There's nothing more awkward than arriving to class late. Everyone's eyes are always on you when you enter late.

I paced back and forth impatiently looking up every once in a while hoping to see Christian's messy black hair. I almost gave up and left six minutes later until I saw Christian running towards me.

"What was it?" Christian asked breathless. He leaned against the wall to catch his breath; his face was flushed red with the exertion.

"Look." I opened the book and pointed to the page. His eyes scanned the words before looking up at me.

"Do you know what this means Rose?" His eyes were full of wonder and something else, recognition?

"Well it's how to open a portal right?"

"Exactly." He grinned showing his creamy white teeth.

"Yes but it's not like we could ever open one. Did you see what you would have to do? Its barbaric, a ritual straight out of hell."

"Exactly, a ritual to open hell would have to be hellish itself." He shrugged like if it was no big deal.

"But its murder."

"It's a sacrifice." He argued. "Totally different than murder."

"Christian you're not planning to do it, are you?" I asked warily.

It took him a while to answer but when he did I wasn't too convinced.

"No." He answered, but his eyes held a longing that scared me.

"Can I have the book back?" He asked impatiently. I already knew everything in that book. I didn't need it anymore so I gave it to him.

He left shortly after and I used the short walk to class to ponder over what I had read. What Christian didn't know was that I've seen it before. The scripture read:

_Shadows use the ancient rituals of the heathens to unleash their masters. They must light there path on a darkened night. The blood of a virgin will be spilled in the heat and her blood will open the gates to the evil underneath. _

It was too similar to my dream; my skin crawled with fresh jitters as I recalled the shadow.

I made it to class in a daze. I was too lost in my thoughts I didn't notice the empty chair next to me till I heard Mason's voice behind me.

Mason, my desk partner, was sitting in Dimitri's empty chair talking to Eddie. I found it strange that he wasn't sitting in his usual spot. Mason had sat next to me for half a year, and never had he and Eddie talked to each other.

I looked around the room and noticed what all the other girls were thinking. Where would Dimitri sit? It didn't seem like Mason was going to move, he had strapped his back pack to the back of the chair and his materials were spilled on Dimitri's desk.

I knew what was going to happen; they were going to try to sit next to him. My sister—apparently the leader in the plan—made it so that all the seats were taken except for the one next to her. I could see the disappointment in the rest of the girl's eyes but she was the queen bee in this hive.

The minutes ticked by, I heard the impatient taps of girl's fingernails on the table, the grinding of a chair against the tile floor. Finally when the tardy bell rang everything stopped. It became clear that Dimitri was not coming; I could hear the girl's collective groans.

I on the other hand couldn't care less. My head was already too confused with shadows and portals I didn't have time to be deciphering his weird stares.

I took out my notebook and began to doodle in hopes that it would distract me. All I managed to draw was a book before the air around me stilled.

Dimitri entered class late and handed our teacher a late slip. Mr. Nagy was still taking out his multiple lesson plans from his man bag when he took the slip and I had a strange suspicion that he mixed it in between his many manila folders that held our lectures.

Dimitri turned to go to his seat. I could practically hear Mia bounce on her seat with each step he took. And then the most amazing thing happened. Dimitri who's face was always stern it looked like it was permanently molded that way, smiled. His cheeks lifted and the slight dimple in his chin became more prominent.

When he smiled the female student body seemed to share an intake of breath. I didn't know what the big deal was. Sure his smile was like melting butter, big deal. He was probably smiling at Mia, anyways. It was every guy's dream to sit next to her and Dimitri didn't even have to try.

I looked up into Dimitri's smiling face and felt my face burn red. That was when I noticed he wasn't smiling at just anyone, he was smiling at me. He reached my table quickly, his strides long and powerful before he sat down in the empty chair next to mine.

My heart gave a nervous flip and I could feel the daggers the rest of the girls were shooting me. Nobody thought to take my seat probably confident on the fact that Dimitri wouldn't sit there. Especially when the seat next to Mia was open.

My cheeks flooded with color and all I could do was sit there like an idiot and stare straight ahead. I felt him lean sideways and if seeing him smile was a shock what he did next electrocuted me.

He spoke, his voice was like melting chocolate and it made me quiver all over.

"A reason why your blushing Rose." He asked. His face was back to being serious but his voice held a slight playfulness to it.

I was too shocked by his voice to come up with anything smart to say. Instead I said something stupid.

"You talk?" Idiot of course he talks, what the hell kind of question is that.

"Rose." He tsked. "You know better than that." It was unsettling how he said my name, like we were old friends.

"Apparently I don't." I bit back. "Besides how would you know?" I watched his eyes rake me before he leaned in closer and signaled with his finger so I could do the same. I didn't know if I should obey but my body seemed to have a mind of its own because it quickly did as it was told.

"Rose." His cool minty breath washed over me like a waterfall. "What better way is there to pass the time in this dump than to observe someone." He winked. I couldn't believe he was openly admitting to watching me—or that he could make something that was supposed to be creepy sexy.

"You observe me?" I should have been freaking out instead I felt my lips curve up into an involuntary smile. Well that is until I heard his next words.

"Don't be so egotistical, I never said I observed you." He licked his full lips before meeting my eyes. "I of course was observing your sister Mia." He stated nonchalantly. As if he didn't just rip out my last shred of dignity.

Of course it had to be Mia, when isn't it her. I held my head high and pretended like it didn't affect me—I already had lots of practice in this area.

He surprised me when he laughed, and it wasn't even a quiet one, it was one that echoed throughout the classroom and interrupted the teachers lecture. Everyone, including me, looked at Dimitri in shock.

"Mr. Belikov, do you have something to contribute to this lesson." Mr. Nagy asked. He too looked baffled at Dimitri's outburst but recovered faster than the students.

"No Mr. Nagy." Dimitri responded once his laughing had subsided.

"Then do you think my class is funny. Do you not know that once in here you are to remain silent?" Mr. Nagy stated.

"Yes sir." Dimitri said unaffected. "It was just that Rose here is quite a comedian, isn't that right Rose." He slugged an arm around my shoulders and gripped me tightly. The room went scary silent; I felt hard stares puncture holes on the hand around my shoulder. The tension was so thick I could almost smell it. I wanted to shake Dimitri's arm off but he gripped my shoulder with a vice, not allowing me to move.

Mr. Nagy went back to preparing for the lecture, but I couldn't care less. I was too concentrated on the arm around my shoulder.

My heart beat faster and I almost died when he finally let go. I felt the glares on my back more intensely. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. But there was one more thing I had to do before I died, because if the hole didn't get me the army of angry girls surely would.

"So I'm a comedian now." I smirked.

"Of course," he glowered. "How could you think I was interested in Mia?" He asked; his face had an expression of disgust.

"Because you said so," I said it more like a question suddenly unsure.

"No; I said what you believed was true." He inquired. He gave me a lopsided grin and turned back towards the board. "Besides I have more interesting people to observe than your sister." He gazed back down at me and this time I knew exactly who he was talking about. Me.

"So I was right."

"Don't get cocky Rose, both you and I knew you were right." His eyes were intense but something in them softened. "You should stop being so unsure of yourself, your so much more than what everyone else thinks." He whispered.

I felt something warm and wonderful spread throughout my body, like a spark was ignited with his words.

We spent the rest of the class in silence, the hectic assignments kept us busy but there were times that I swore I could feel his eyes observing me as I worked.

The piercing sound of the bell jolted me out of my oblivion. Dimitri sped out of the classroom in his usual routine as soon as the bell rang without even telling me goodbye or showing any signs of having talked to me. He was back to being stone faced Dimitri

I was actually starting to doubt my sanity; had I even talked to Dimitri or did I imagine everything.

I watched him walk away, even with his tall frame he was graceful; his long strides were intimidating and taken with a purpose. He disappeared outside of the classroom.

"Rose." Someone yelled in my ear. In my Dimitri haze it took me a while to realize it was Mia. "What were you doing?" She whispered urgently.

"Nothing." I hissed.

"It didn't seem like nothing; you were talking to Dimitri." She grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. "What did he say? Did he ask about me?" She whispered urgently.

"Well—"

"Wait, why did he put his arm around you?" She asked incredulously; as if barely now remembering.

I honestly didn't have an answer for that.

"Rose." She sounded upset now. "Dimitri mentioned me, right?"

"Yes." Technically, he did mention her.

"Good." She said relieved. "You see, I should have seen that he wasn't going to sit with me, not when he's shy around me. I'm a very intimidating person you know."

I stood up and gathered my stuff while Mia yapped about how anyone would be intimidated by her beauty.

I always wanted Mia to come talk to me, so that way it would show that she was my sister first and a social light second but now I think fate was mocking me because I wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

I hauled ass out of there as soon as I was free from Mia's clutches. I was just glad that she didn't ask any details.

High School was hurriedly becoming interesting, maybe I wasn't so much of a freak after all.


	5. Chapter 5 Ditched

**Hey guys. Tell me what you think. I hope you like it. And even if you don't well I'm glad you gave this story a chance. **

You're a freak, a big huge freak. You basically have a big pulsing neon sign on top of your head that says, beware of the freak.

That's exactly how I felt when I arrived in the cramped cafeteria to find Christian's and my table empty. Where the hell was he? He always ambushes me after fourth period; it was weird when I walked out of class and was met by nothing.

So first no ambush and now he's not even in the lunch room. He actually left me to fend for myself. I was going to die; they were all going to eat me alive with their hard glares and critical words.

All the clicks were sitting in their tables so close to each other, each person was wedged between the next. I felt claustrophobic just looking at them.

I got in line for my food and got the only thing that looked decent from the choices, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yum, bread filled in crunchy peanut butter. Right now I needed comfort food.

The cafeteria was stuffed with people. I had to whir around like a mini tornado to avoid them. I winced when I felt someone get to close. Their body heat radiated off of them like a million hot irons. I barely managed to not get burned.

The walk of shame to my table was a long one; where the hell was Christian? I needed him here; his moral support was what got me through this hell.

As soon as I got to my seat I rubbed my palms against the white table and traced the scratches of graffiti with my finger. I thought of maybe banging my forehead against the table hard enough to give myself a concussion. Anything would be better than all the yammer that the pathetic high school teenagers came up with.

I sagged in defeat and hid my face behind my hands.

_Someone please kill me._

I heard a hard set of footsteps before I felt the weight of the bench sink down. Finally Christian came.

Only when I took my hands off my face I realized it wasn't Christian who I was staring at. I was face to face with Dimitri.

"What are you doing here?" The question came out sharper than I intended. He cocked his eyebrow in that infuriatingly sexy manner of his, seemingly amused.

"Is that how you talk to someone who's trying to be nice," He said it like if he was teaching a child manners.

"You were trying to be nice?" I asked. "Because all I see you doing is sitting there." I was annoyed at how he talked to me; he made me feel like a petulant child.

"If you noticed, I came to sit by you so you wouldn't be so alone. You looked a little lost. I came by to help you." His eyes were mesmerizing; he cupped his chin with his hand and looked me up and down. "Though there might have been another reason I wanted to come here," He grinned. Was he flirting with me?

I raised my chin up and glared, "Well you can't sit here, that's Christian's seat."

"Yes, where is Christian. I thought you two were inseparable; adjoined at the hip or something like that. I guess he's not coming." He leaned in towards me and skimmed my cheek with his finger. "Better for me." He winked.

I pulled away, contemplating on whether or not I should throw my plate at him like I'd seen in old movies. Instead I settled on scowling at him.

"Well you're not helping me out by staying here; you're actually annoying me so get lost."

"Ooh, Rose has fight in her," He grabbed his chest with his hand and sighed. "I'm honestly touched that you choose to fight with me. You know what they say, thin line between love and hate."

"It's not that thin." I sneered.

He looked at me from under his lashes and tilted his lips up in a crooked smile. I hated the fact that my heart beat quickened; how could this jerk still affect me?

"You're not like ordinary girls." He stated. I had already heard countless times how I wasn't normal but when he said it, it was different, it sounded like a complement.

"Did you barely realize that," I sassed. I always use attitude to hide my feelings; it was a defense mechanism.

"No; I always knew you were different, it's why I came here." He stated. But there was something about the way he said it, it made me think he wasn't just talking about coming to sit with me.

"Really, do you like that then; do you get some kick out of weird girls or something." I grumbled. I was beginning to think that I was some weird sort of experiment for him.

"I never said you were weird, just different. That's not a bad thing." He reached forward and brushed his fingertips against my temple. "You see things." He whispered.

"What?" I screeched.

"Rose," he gave me a pointed look. "Don't act dumb with me."

I tilted my chin up, defensive. "I don't understand what you're saying." He couldn't mean—

"Why don't you tell me what's really on your mind." He gazed at me intensely almost like he knew I was holding out on him.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered. Surely he couldn't know about the dreams.

"Nothing," he looked away but not before I heard him mumble, "It's better this way."

My curiosity peaked over his words until I couldn't help but ask.

"What's better this way?"

He whipped his head to face mine and cocked and eyebrow in question. He was playing dumb, pretty much pretending he never said those last few words. Something about that denial made me snap a little.

"You heard exactly what I said, Dimitri, and if you don't want to answer me fine, but don't try to make me feel stupid by pretending you said nothing." I growled under my breath. I felt my cheeks inflame this time from anger. _I hated liars._

I watched his neutral expression fade for a second, replaced by genuine shock. His eyes were wide open. I a saw spark of surprise and something more, admiration maybe, swimming in his eyes before the shields went back up and he became stone once again.

I guess I wasn't going to get any more out of him.

I scowled at my peanut butter and jelly sandwich; my appetite was gone. I wanted nothing more than to pin Dimitri on the table and force him to tell me what he meant. But realistically I knew that was not going to happen.

"You're mad at me."

"Way to state the obvious. What are you doing here anyways other than trying to be chivalrous and your bad attempts at flirting."

"Bad attempts," He chuckled. "If I was flirting there wouldn't be any bad attempts."

He glanced around the cafeteria and stood up abruptly. He began to leave without saying a goodbye or an acknowledgement, like always. I was getting pretty fed up with his briskness, "So you're leaving; so much for being chivalrous, a gentleman would have at least said goodbye." I called after him.

He spun around in one quick motion and gave me a gallantly mocking bow. "So sorry, fair lady, I will now bid you farewell and good morrow." A giggle escaped me as he walked away. Big surprise, Dimitri was actually funny when he wanted to be.

Once Dimitri disappeared behind the cafeteria doors I realized how silent it had gotten. I had almost forgotten I was interacting with Dimitri in front of the whole school. But when I looked around I noticed that every person had their eye on me. I felt like I was being looked on from under a magnifying glass.

On the other side of the cafeteria I noticed Mia frozen in between a group of her friends. Her face was in complete shock, and it was only when her friend, Camille, nudged her that she snapped out of it.

I looked down, away from the stares, hoping to ignore them. I knew what they were thinking: Why would Dimitri, who could sit next to any girl, sit with her—and by her I mean me

I took a bite of my sandwich to distract myself. But as soon as the food hit my mouth I realized I was starving. I hadn't been eating well these past weeks, and it all seemed to come crashing down on me. I was so hungry I could eat a horse and still starve.

The bell rang while I was mid sandwich so I gobbled the rest of it down.

I got several curious looks from people as I made my way to class, and there were times when I swore someone was trying to approach me. Figures that when you're the topic for gossip everyone wants a piece of you.

I made it to my class unscathed but was cornered by Lissa before I could get in. Her blond hair was up in a sleek pony tail and her eye shadow emphasized the green of her eyes. We had this class together; she sat in front of me but never acknowledged my existence outside of calling me loser and freak.

Lissa made a show of putting her hands on her hips. "So how much did you pay Dimitri so he could sit with you?" She looked down at me; she was about four inches taller than I was but her heels made her grow an extra five inches, making her look like a model with her height and skinny figure.

"I didn't pay him anything." I raised my head high, determined to not be intimidated by big blond bimbos.

"Ha. What a bunch of bullshit. No one would sit by you willingly unless his name is Christian." She sniffed. I was actually shocked that she knew Christian's name considering she didn't have him for any classes.

"Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter. What does is that the bell is about to ring, so if you don't mind, MOVE." She didn't budge so I did the only thing I could think of. I stared at her, right in the eyes and watched her recoil away from me. I watched her eyes open wide in surprise before I went inside.

My strides were more awkward than usual because just about everyone was situated in their seats. I felt all my classmates eyes glued to my back as I made my way to my seat. This was going to be a long class.

High School, I hate you. Love Rose.

* * *

Where the hell is Christian? I thought as I rushed through the hallways. I had called him about a million times on his cell phone but he hasn't answered.

He wasn't even in any of his classes. I asked all the teachers and they said he was a no show.

Did he ditch: Impossible, Christian is such a pansy when it comes to ditching. He was always too scared that his mother would find out.

But there was no other alternative. He would have had to have ditched. He didn't even go to first period which rules out illness unless two seconds after we separated he got sick.

There was only one logical conclusion, robots have finally taken over the world and they made their mark by abducting Christian.

Or Christian ditched to read the book. I was tempted to cross off the latter but my robot theory started seeming a little crazy. I couldn't understand why though. Why couldn't he wait till after school to read the book. He only needed to read two pages, why did he have to be absent the whole day.

It stung a little to think that he left me with the sharks for a book. He could have at least told me. We could have ditched together. He knows that I've always wanted to ditch.

I walked out of school feeling dejected. I had spent the last twenty minutes of my afterschool time looking for Christian only to come to the conclusion that I was ditched.

Heat ensnared my heart once I circled the parking lot only to find the "cool" parking spot empty. This just wasn't my day. No, I tried to tell myself, Mia could not have left me. I was only like five minutes late. Maybe she was waiting for me by the curve, I thought.

But I knew it wasn't true. Mia would never park by some random curve to wait for me. She warned me once that if I wasn't in the car when she got in she wasn't going to wait around. I never had a reason to before, until now that is.

_Damn it Mia._

The sun was pounding against my scull as I contemplated what had to be done. I had to walk eight miles in the sun to get to my house. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with walking but today was hotter than usual. The fabric of my shirt was sticking to my skin as I wiped the sweat off of the back of my neck.

_Well here goes nothing. _

I had walked at least a mile and already I could feel the red heat of my face. The hot rays of the sun doused me till I was sure my face resembled a tomato or a really bright radish.

The streets seemed endless like I could travel down them forever. The black tar of the street was like a reflector shining the rays of the hot sun directly at me, blinding me for moments on end.

Cars zoomed by leaving behind their thick smog for me to inhale, but from the corner of my eye I saw a black Mercedes slow down till it was level with me.

My heart started to beat faster. Crap; I was all alone. If they wanted to grab me and throw me in the car they could without a problem. Even in the broad daylight abduction wasn't unheard of.

I tightened my hands against my backpack ready to use it as a weapon. I had two thick textbooks and my binder in there. If I swung it hard enough I knew it would hurt.

I quickened my pace but I was conscious of the opening door and the sound of someone getting out of the car. Heavy footprints followed, heading in my direction.

I broke into a run but not before I heard my name called by a voice that sounded frighteningly familiar. I came to an abrupt stop and spun around.

His mouth was curved in a condescending smile; his brown eyes glowed with a certain mischief that was painfully attractive. Dimitri and all his glory was standing before me.

I didn't know if this was better or worse. I didn't exactly trust Dimitri.

"What are you doing here?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but a little seeped in towards the end.

"I should be asking you the same question, Rose. You don't usually walk home."

"Sure I do." I lied. "I walk home all the time."

His eyes turned thoughtful. "She left you, didn't she."

"No, I—"

"Big sister Mia left little Rose to walk by herself." He snorted. "Typical."

"Shut up."

"Why, it's the truth. Mia's got everyone wrapped around her fingers yet she treats you like crap, doesn't she."

"You don't know her."

"Don't delude yourself, Rose." He walked towards me. "Her actions speak for themselves." He stopped an arm's length away from me.

I took a step back. It felt too intimate. "Like you're any better. You ignore everyone; give girls the cold shoulder when all they want to do is talk to you. Does that really make you a better person?"

"You and I both know that those girls wanted more than just talk." He quirked an eyebrow, "plus, I don't ignore everyone, only the ones who deserve it."

"How do you know they deserve it?"

"Intuition; I know people, and it's not hard to see when someone's an asshole." I found myself nodding my head in agreement. It was true, people here really were ass hats disguised in pretty faces.

"Now, you really want to know what separates me from the assholes?" He continued. "It's because I'm not afraid."

"What?"

"Don't you see; it's all about fear." He closed the gap between us and gripped my wrist, forcing me to look at him. His mouth was set in a grim line and his eyes held nothing but the truth. "They're afraid that this outfit will make them look like a loser, they're afraid that saying the wrong thing will make them an outcast so they second guess everything they say. They're afraid of who they make friends with. But most of all, they're afraid of you"

"Why?" My voice cracked. "Why are they afraid of me?"

"You know why?" He used his thumb to smooth out the pucker between my eyebrows. "Because you see things."

He let me go and took a step back. Letting me absorb what he just said. Everything he was telling me suddenly made sense. I see things; he knows about my dreams. But how?

"So you want a ride or something." Dimitri asked, nodding his head in the direction of his car. Honestly I had already forgotten the predicament I was in, too engrossed by our conversation. I still didn't trust him but suddenly I wanted nothing more than to be alone with him. I needed to find out more of what he knew.

"Sure." My answer surprised him; shock covered his face before a cocky smile appeared.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist my charms." He grinned.

"You call it charms, I call it creepiness. Either way you seem like a freak, and that's not an insult in my case. If I would have known I would have invited you to join the club."

"The club?"

"Yep, CF: Club Freak."

He looked amused. "Oh, no need, I'm already the president."

"Since when was I impeached."

He leaned in and brushed his lips against my ear. "Since I out staged you." I shivered involuntarily, cursing myself for letting him get to me. "Let's go." I smelled a slight hint of aftershave as he whipped away making my knees shake with the mouthwatering smell of musk and man.

He walked towards the car and opened the door for me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" He shrugged. "I've got manners. I open doors when in the presence of a lady."

I rolled my eyes at him and slid onto the leather seats of his car. I noticed that every surface of the car was swiped clean, it shined a glossy black; not exactly what I expected. I thought there would at least be dirty cloths, maybe a girl's underwear lying around from the recent shag. It was too clean.

Dimitri got in—the engine was still running—and turned the car in the opposite direction, away from my house. Maybe getting into the car with Dimitri wasn't such a good idea.

"You know my house is in the other direction."

"I know." He replied calmly.

"Then where are we going?" I whisper shouted.

"Calm down, Rose, I am not going to do anything to you." I risked a glance towards him and saw him staring back at me.

"Keep your eyes on the road." _What was he trying to do, get us killed?_

"I will if you promise to not have a panic attack on me."

"I am not having a panic attack!"

"Then why are you punching holes into my seat." I was about to argue when I saw that my hands were, in fact, gripping the sides of the seat so hard, I nearly ripped off the leather.

"Sorry." I whispered unclenching my hands from the seat.

"It's alright, nothing but a seat after all."

"So are you going to answer?" He was avoiding my question. I hope he didn't think I was stupid enough to let it go.

"Persistent are you." He glanced at my face before a mocking smile appeared. "I'm going to kill you, Rose. Tie you to my bed and defile you."

"Shut up." I growled. _And please be joking._

"Fine; I was lying. I'm going to defile you first and then kill you." He clenched his fist hard around the wheel making his knuckles turn white. "Or maybe I'm going to take you out to eat."

He gave me another smile but this one seemed forced. His chocolate brown eyes conveyed something different, a warning.

The look was gone in an instant but it chilled me to the core.

Dimitri drove excruciatingly slow to the local diner. I had a strange suspicion that he was just doing it to bug me. Either way he drove like a grandpa, getting several beeps from the cars behind him.

"Aren't you going to speed up?" He was making this 5 minute trip extend to a fifteen minute one.

"Why should I?"

"I don't know, maybe because you're driving 5 miles per hour. I do plan to get there before I get old."

"Well you must be ancient because there goes the diner." He pointed out with his finger.

The town plaza was a couple of clothing shops piled together in one corner and a movie theatre that took up the majority of the space. But cramped between the social limelight of our great town—heavy sarcasm—was the diner. The place was always crowded with teenagers when school let out, all looking to gossip while scarfing down food. I really didn't want to go there.

It must have shown on my face because Dimitri smirked down at me. "Don't tell me you're afraid." He was holding back a laugh, his eyes mocking. He pulled the car into a tight parking space and crossed his arms behind his head, expecting an answer. I didn't want to admit to Dimitri that he was right. I hardly knew him but I got the impression that he was one to tease.

"I'm not. It's just that there are better places to go eat." I lied. He didn't seem to buy it; his eyes narrowed.

"Really; like where?" Crap, I didn't think it through; especially when the only response I had was my house, and I couldn't take Dimitri there.

"Umm, that little chinese food place next to the school."

"You mean that abandoned restaurant that closed down years ago."_ Damn, I really need to go out more._

"Oh really it closed down, what a shame the food was good."

"I heard people would get food poisoning there." _Damn, how does he know this; didn't he just arrive here two weeks ago._

"How do you know? It happened years before you came here." He looked away from me and stared out his window. The interstate was zooming with passing cars, but the parking lot looked empty.

"News travels fast."

"Apparently," I let it go afraid that I would make a bigger idiot of myself if I continued.

I skimmed my hands on top of his leather seats and waited for him to say something, anything. He was still looking out the window sitting so still he looked like a statue.

The car was quiet; I didn't even want to breathe to not destroy the silence. I gave a loud intake of breathe when I couldn't hold it anymore. It snapped him out of his slumber. He whipped around to face me and cocked an eyebrow in question.

"What?" I asked.

"Were you really going to let me sit there while we rot in the heat of my car?" He shook his head. "You really should learn how to say something."

"I didn't want to disturb you." I argued.

"That doesn't matter. You can't take everyone's crap and stay silent about it Rose, sometimes you've got to let loose, and tell them to fuck off." My jaw almost dropped at his brashness but I knew that was the reaction he was expecting.

Instead I shrugged and said, "I don't take people's crap, they fling it at me. Can you blame me for not wanting to grab it, even if it is to fling it back."

"I won't blame you, Rose, but you will." For some reason what he said made me mad. Who the hell did he think he was to tell me what I will or not feel? I mean it's me, I know who I am.

I was just about to argue when he got out of the car, probably seeing what I was about to do from the pissed off look on my face. Dimitri had a knack for running away. I followed him out until we were both at the front of his car.

His black Mercedes was gleaming brightly, the rays of the sun hitting it in a way that made it look recently waxed.

Dimitri turned his face toward mine and said. "You still too afraid to go inside."

I looked at him annoyed, placing my hands on my hips. This seemed to amuse him more.

"It's alright, Rose, not all of us are born brave." He gave me a mocking smile. Something about that smile made me want to kick him in the shin.

Instead, I grabbed his hand in a brash moment and pulled him to the diner. I felt his fingers intertwine with mine in a silent approval. His hands were big and they engulfed my tiny ones; his fingers and palms were rough, calloused. In that moment I wanted to prove him wrong, and wipe that smile off his face.

"So now we're holding hands." He smirked. He looked so tall next to me, my head barely made it to his chest.

"Don't take it the wrong way Dimitri." It was the first time his name had rolled out of my tongue. I usually only thought it in my head, he seemed to notice because he beamed down at me.

We made it to the front of diner but I wasn't sure if my new found bravery was going to make it with me inside.

"Rose, just go in, I'm right here." And suddenly I wasn't freaking out anymore. Dimitri was right beside me and that seemed to comfort me. I wouldn't feel as much like a freak when the kids from school stared at me.

I opened the door of the Diner and felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. There was no one in here except for an elderly couple and three girls in the back corner.

"See, that wasn't so bad." There was a mocking tone in his voice.

I clenched my teeth. "You knew that no one would be here." I accused.

"I am appalled. How could you think so little of me," He wiggled his eyebrows. "But it did make you hold my hand." He pointed down to our still adjoined hands.

I quickly dropped his hands and clenched my fists. "You, I. Ehh." I couldn't believe it. I had just been duked by Dimitri just so he could what, hold my hand?

"You got to admit, you liked it." He teased, wiggling his fingers in front of my face.

"Sure, sure. If thinking that makes you happy, Dimitri, then go ahead. Just make sure you know that you're living a lie."

"A very happy lie." He extended his hand out to me. "You want a repeat of our previous action."

I snorted. Who did he think he was, Mr. Smooth?

"What did I say about getting cocky, Rose. It doesn't suit you." He let his hand dropped, and it might have been a trick of the light, but for a second he looked dejected.

I felt like I needed to cheer him up. "So Dimitri, where are all your moves. Or did you lose those when you lost your dignity."

That caused his eyes to brighten up. His face transformed back into his flirty manner.

"You really want me to use the moves on you don't you."

I scoffed.

"Really, Rose, there's no shame in the truth. Besides, I'll let you in on a secret. You don't need any moves to get a girl's attention." He looked me up and down before grinning at me.

"I am really getting tired with your flirting one second, reprimanding me another strategy. If you think you can pick up chicks that way you're wrong."

"Are you sure about that." He glanced at me from under his eyelashes.

"Positive." I said, thankful that my voice didn't break.

"Well then what do you call this. Did I not pick you up, and am I not taking you out to eat. Something must obviously be working." He winked. I was almost too infuriated with his logic to not be affected by that wink, almost.

"This," I waved my hand around the diner, "is nothing more than two barely acquaintances having dinner. Unless you usually call picking up a stranded girl that has no choice but to get in a car with you then forcing her to diner a date."

"I do actually; how else do you think I get dates?"

"Uhh, never mind. Let's just eat." I glowered at him.

Dimitri led us to a secluded table in the corner. It was away from anyone's prying eyes, the seats look cushioned and very comfortable. I gave him a questioning look.

"This is my favorite table." He explained.

"You come here often?" I asked, surprised. It was hard to imagine Dimitri in our local diner, it was too normal. He always shied away from the public, preferring to be alone.

"How else do you think I knew it would be empty at this time." Of course, Dimitri, would know about a lonely place, it must be his life mission to find every secluded part in the world. It's probably where he hides when he's supposed to be in the cafeteria.

He would know a lot about empty places, I thought. An empty place like an abandoned room, one that has oozing gray walls. If there was a place here in our town, I was sure, Dimitri, would know of it.

"What are you thinking?" He asked. Umm, maybe about the fact that you could be the psychopathic murderer that haunts my dreams and killed Natalie.

"Just wondering what they serve here." He didn't seem to believe me, but let it drop.

A waitress appeared quickly with our menus. She had fiery red hair and blue eyes. She looked several inches taller than me, and I was panged to see how beautiful she was. Even in her uniform she was glowing.

As soon as she set our menus down she turned quickly towards Dimitri. "What are you going to have today, Dimitri, the usual?" She asked, fluttering her eyes to make herself seem alluring. I found myself bothered by the way she talked to him. It was a little too flirty. And even though I knew, Dimitri, and I weren't really on a date, for all she knew we could have been. She should at least have some respect.

Seeing how comfortably she talked to him, I came to the conclusion that she was his usual waitress. I mean, how else would she know his name. Maybe she figured she had dibs on him, or maybe she saw my appearance and pegged me in the friend category. I put less effort than usual in my wardrobe this morning. My jeans were worn out and baggy. And the black shirt I wore was two sizes too large. I didn't even want to think about the state of my hair. A mile walk in the heat doesn't do wonders to it.

"Of course Rachel." He smiled at her making her giggle. Of course now he acts like he interacts with human, when he's with Rachel.

"Right away Dimitri." She said sweetly. I saw her arrange—unnecessarily—her tight uniform, bringing more focus to her large chest.

Did I really have to wear this unappealing blouse? I thought. My chest looked practically nonexistent, hidden behind the hideously large shirt.

She stared at him for longer than necessary, when she finished, before turning reluctantly in my direction. I could see the tips of her ears glow red, matching her hair. She didn't like that I was here with Dimitri.

Her reaction made me exhale in relief. Dimitri didn't bring girls with him when he came here; she wouldn't be so bothered with me if he did.

"And for you." She asked between clenched teeth. Her eyes were focused on her note pad but as soon as she lifted them she recoiled back as if someone had burned her.

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy her reaction. But my enjoyment was cut off when I realized Dimitri, could see everything. I turned to look at him and found him staring at me. Not in a weird gawking way, he looked at me with knowing eyes. He was expecting this to happen.

I was about to apologize when he silenced me with a look.

"She'll have the tilapia?" He said it like a question but I was nodding along to it. I liked fish.

"And some lemonade." I added. "Strawberry lemonade."

"Thanks for suggesting the plate." I said once Rachel left. "How did you know I liked it?"

"I didn't. But you looked like a fish person." He shrugged.

"Well I do like fish." I conceded.

He laughed warmly. "I knew it."

I laughed along until I remembered something."Back in school, when you said that you watched me, did you mean that you watch me when I'm outside of school too." I mumbled out. My cheeks were bright pink, but what other reaction could I have when asking a guy if he stalks me.

His eyebrows raised up in surprise. "Are you asking me if I stalk you?" He asked, incredulously. My cheeks only turned pinker.

"You are, aren't you. Do you really think I spent my time outside your window watching what you do Rose. Don't you think I have a life, one that doesn't revolve around you?"

I shrunk down in my chair, humiliated.

"Because if you really think that the highlight of my day is when I spy on you, then well…" He caught my eye before quickly looking away. "Then I'd say you're right."

I looked up, startled. "You should probably close your curtains. You don't know what kind of creep could be lurking about waiting for a peep show." He grinned. "Luckily you gave me mine yesterday."

I was pretty sure he was joking, but I wasn't sure if everything he said was a lie. Maybe only the last part about me giving him a peep show. I was actually really hoping that last part was a lie.

His face went back to being serious. I never really noticed till now, but when his face was serious he looked older, more mature.

"You done with your soft core sexual harassment." I asked.

He smiled cheekily at me. "You know, that's why I like you Rose. You're not afraid to tell me my shit. In your attitude you're completely unpredictable did you know that." He tipped his head sideways as if to get a better look at me. "Sometimes you can really pull the rug out of people's feet."

"Thank you." I said, taking it as a complement. I leaned in closer to him. "Tell me something." I asked.

"I was only joking." He grinned. " So what do you want to know?"

"When we were in school, what did you mean when you said that I see thing."

He covered my mouth with his hand. His eyes looked around, alarmed, as if someone would pop out any second. His reaction scared me. I normally would have swat his hand away, but I sensed the danger.

He seemed to calm down. His face took up the joking quality in it. "Don't be alarmed, darling. Your lips looked ripe for the taking." He took off his hand from my mouth, but he slid a finger along my lips. "So smooth and beautiful." He whispered and leaned in towards me. I started to lean back—away from him—but he reached out and grabbed my shoulders. I closed my eyes tightly but instead of feeling his lips on mine I felt them close to my cheeks. "Quiet." He whispered against my cheek. "You never know who could be listening."

I didn't quite get his comment but I felt the tension radiating off of him.

"Who?" I whispered back. To an outside we looked like we were kissing. My mouth was lingering on the corner of his.

He finally released me and settled back in his seat. "You don't know." He answered, tilting his head up, thoughtful. "You should know but you don't."

"Know what?" He looked at me like if I was missing something.

"Right, right, can't talk about it." I tapped my fingertips against the table hoping the lemonade came soon. I really needed something to do before I exploded with questions.

"So there's not one thing you can tell me, like a hint." I said desperately. I had tapped my fingers against the table four hundred times before I couldn't take it anymore.

His lips curved up in a half smile. "You don't listen do you? But there might be something I could tell you, but not now, wait till after."

"But that might take forever."

"Actually it might take a few minutes, the food is already here." I turned to the direction he was looking at and saw Rachel carrying two heavy plates. Her face still looked hesitant and this time when she set the plates on the table she didn't look at me. She didn't even speak, not even to give Dimitri one of her flirty smiles. I guess even he was off her list.

We ate quietly only bantering a couple of times. At one point I might have thrown a piece of my fish at his face but stopped once I received my own face full of mashed potatoes.

"I still have some potato in my ear." I argued as we walked out of the diner. "Did you have to throw so much. I only threw a tiny piece of fish."

"Yeah, but that smells more."

"Yes, it does smell, it smells good. Not unlike this potato." I tried rubbing some of the remaining potato off of my ear when I felt his fingers slide along it. I stared in shock as he brought his fingers to his mouth.

"Did you just eat the potato I had in my ear?" I asked.

"Mmm, not bad, actually added extra flavor." He licked his lips before grinning up at me. "We should do that again."

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you actually ate something that was in my ear. Seriously I wouldn't even do that, and it's my ear."

"What the hell is so disgusting about your ear, don't you clean it."

"Yes but—"

"See, no problem." I was going to argue about how it is a problem when I realized something. "Can you tell me now?" I whispered.

He looked at me for a long time, probably deciding if it was the right time, before nodding. "Ok, but in the car."

I didn't need to be told twice; I took the lead and headed to the car.

I was impatient, and he seemed to be taking his time opening the car. I couldn't get in their fast enough when he unlocked my door. Going as far as buckling up and closing the door before he even got in.

"So," I thrummed my fingers against my seat belt, "who could be listening?"

"You can't even wait till I turn on the car."

"What do you think I have, unlimited patience?" I grumbled. I had waited through the whole entire meal, I don't think I can handle more.

He turned on the car and reversed it out of the parking spot. I exhaled in frustration as he purposely ignored me.

"Dimitri!" I screamed.

"Okay, Okay. Don't get your panties in a twist." He said once we hit the street. "I'll tell you one hint." He fixed me with a hard gaze. "And it's the only thing I could tell you. You got that."

"Why can you only tell me one thing?"

He thought about it for a second. "I'm kind of forbidden to tell you."

"What?" Did I hear that right?

"I'm forbidden. I can't tell you anything. It's something you have to figure out on your own. Well, not entirely on your own, I just can't be the one to tell you."

"Then why are you giving me a hint?" I asked.

His gaze turned pensive. "Because it's the only thing I can give you without breaking the rules."

I stared at him shocked; there were so many questions I wanted to ask him. But I also knew that those questions would be unanswered; whoever was forbidding Dimitri must mean business, if he won't dare defy them.

"What is it? The hint."

He kept his gaze fixed on the streets. He was flying down the intersection no longer going in his grandpa pace. This must be a tough talk for Dimitri; he couldn't drive fast enough.

We made it to my house faster than I thought possible. I didn't even tell him my directions. I decided to ignore that part. He kept the engine on as we sat idle on the street.

He didn't look at me when he finally answered. "The book."

"What book?"

"You know which book." I did know; I just didn't want it to be that one.

"What about the book?"

He glanced at me. "What else are you going to do with a book? Read it of course." He exhaled annoyed.

"I already did." I huffed. I didn't like it when someone undermined me.

"Sorry that was rude." He said sincerely. A little twinge of a Russian accent was laced with his words. I didn't know if he noticed but I certainly did. "But if you read the book, then you must know."

"Know what? All I read was nonsense; nothing but old legions, witchcraft, and demons, all stuff that doesn't exist."

He tsked. "You shouldn't be so quick to discredit. Especially with what you've seen."

"And what about these people, do they have eyes peaking around that I should know of."

"Darling, you should know about a lot of things. Sadly I can't be the one to tell you."

He turned his head back out the window, towards my house. "You should go now; your family will be worried."

A thought occurred to me. "And what about your family, do they know about this."

"Family," He smiled halfheartedly, "that would be nice."

"What, a family? Don't you have one?"

It took him a while to answer. "I did…..once."

"Once? What about now, you have to have a family, at least step parents or something."

"Step parents." He said it like if it was a foreign word.

"Don't you have anyone?" A hint of sadness laced my words. How could he have no one?

"Well, I wouldn't say no one; just, not someone worth having."

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I wanted to tell him so much more, comfort him somehow. I almost pulled him into a hug but figured that would be stupid.

"Don't be sad. Not for me." He said, probably figuring from my face what I was feeling. He gave me a grim smile. "Just go inside." I quickly undid my belt and opened the door to get out, when I thought of something.

"Dimitri," I asked, "If I figure out what's in the book, then can you tell me more about it or will you still be forbidden."

He gave a heart stopping smile. "You catch on fast." I took that as a yes.

I slid out of the car in one swift motion and watched as he drove away.

I was more confused about Dimitri than ever. I shivered a little when I realized I was starting to trust him; I mean if he really was a murderer wouldn't he have killed me when I was with him. He could have easily drove me somewhere secluded and killed me. Nobody knew I was with him; it would be the perfect crime and no one would suspect him. It would be labeled as some random act of violence.

One thing was for sure; as soon as Dimitri turned the corner I reached into my jean's pocket and took out my cell phone. I needed to have a little chat with Christian concerning the book.


	6. Chapter 6 Questions

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I was dealing with finals and projects for class. It was hectic. Anyways I hope you guys like this chapter, I made it a long one to make up for the hiatus. Please tell me if you like it or not. Have a lovely day.**

I tiptoed into my house and quietly shut the door so it only made a little squeak. I winced when I heard it; my father had bionic ears, he could hear a drop of milk from miles away.

"Rose Hathaway," I flinched at the full use of my name. "Where have you been?" I turned around slowly almost savoring the last nano seconds I had before I was met with my dad.

His shrewd eyes—the same brown color as mine—stared at me with a mixture of concern and bemusement.

I realized then what I had to do. I felt the impulse to protect Mia even though she left me stranded.

"I had to stay after school for a project." I thought quickly. "It was kind of last minute."

"Why didn't you call?" His stature wasn't that of a tall man, he was around 5'9", and had the tan skin I inherited. I was told I looked a lot like my father; we had the same messy hazelnut hair and the prominent cheekbones.

"Sorry; I didn't think about calling. Which was stupid of me; I won't do it again." I promised sincerely.

I was more of a daddy's girl; my mother always preferred Mia because she could take her shopping and buy her little dresses that highlighted her beautiful face. Mia looks like a younger version of my mother, so she was able to parade her daughter with the angel face around. When I came, let's just say I wasn't the most attractive baby; I grew into my looks, a little bit but I have too much of my dad in me. So while my mother took Mia to do girly things my father took me out to play sports. We too became distant once the weirdness set in but he understands me more. He isn't like the rest of my family; he doesn't try to change me into something I am not.

"I'm holding you to that promise." He said sternly. "Do you know how worried I was when I came home and found out you hadn't gotten here yet."

"Sorry." I said in a small voice. I didn't like to make my dad worried. His voice started taking up a deeper twinge of his Turkish accent when he was worried.

"It's ok." He patted me in the back. "Just don't do it again, ok, baby girl."

I smiled; I loved it when he used that nickname. It felt like no time had passed; I felt like a five year old girl again when he and I would pass the soccer ball around. He would always say you're doing great, baby girl, even though I really wasn't.

"Alright, Dad."

"Now go to the kitchen and eat, your mom made food." Uhh, food. I really did not feel like eating any.

"I'm kind of full." He looked at me strangely. "Because they fed us at my after school thingy." I lied horribly.

"Your after school thingy?" He glanced at me suspiciously. "What was it about again?"

"It was, umm," My mind had drawn a complete blank, "umm about, math?" I said it like a question.

He crossed his arms, "I don't know, you tell me."

"Rose!" My mother, the life saver, called me from the kitchen. "Rose, get in here."

"Sorry dad; got to see what mom wants." I called as I ran away from him and went into the kitchen. My mother was sitting down on the table looking out of our small white curtained window.

"I saw something interesting a couple of minutes ago." My mom told me ominously.

"And what was it?" My dad answered for me as he walked in behind me.

She turned around and looked at me with a smug smile. "I don't know." Her eyes twinkled with glee. "I might have seen a black Mercedes pull up, one that a handsome young man was driving."

I gasped out loud.

"And," she continued, "I might have seen a certain daughter of mine climb out of that car." She quirked an eyebrow. "Care to explain Rose."

I gulped audibly. The silence was thickening but my father broke it. "Mia sneaked out with some boy. Hell, I didn't even see her get out." He shook his head.

"Ibraham." My mother admonished. "I wasn't talking about Mia; I was talking about Rose." My mom's voice went soft.

My dad's eyes went as wide as saucers. It took him a while to answer but when he did, I was shocked to hear a smile in his voice. "So much for that after school thingy." He laughed.

I didn't get it, weren't parents suppose to be mad when they found out that there child lied to them about being with a boy.

"Why do you guys look so happy?"

"Because sweetie." My mother turned her blue eyes towards me. "I'm happy that you're getting more friends, maybe even a boyfriend."

I was left slack jawed. Boyfriend; Dimitri and me together. That was beyond impossible.

"Shouldn't you guys act like parents and tell me I can't date. Especially you dad, I thought higher of you than this complete disregard of my dating life."

"Baby girl, at this point I'm just happy you have a dating life." Well I never. I didn't know if I should break it to them now or wait till later; I still didn't exactly have a dating life.

"Calm down." I shushed them. "We're not dating, we just—.

We just had dinner, he paid for my food, he picked me up in his car and he drove me back home. It all sounded exactly how a date should be like. We bantered, we talked, we laughed, we got to know a little more about each other. Did I go on a date and not even know it?

"You just what?" My mother asked anxiously.

"We just had a date." I said shocked. I went on a date with Dimitri. I lived the dream that every girl from my high school has. Hell, I accomplished what my sister wanted and while she left me to go home and sit in her room I was having dinner with Dimitri. The irony.

"Wait a minute." My dad put his hand up to silence us. "I know I'm being lenient but I still expect this guy to come meet me."

"Come meet us." My mother chipped in. "You can invite him to dinner."

"Wait, wait, wait. You guys are going too far, we had like one date. Tomorrow he can wake up and not talk to me ever again; ignoring me for the rest of my life."

"Don't get too mellow dramatic, this isn't a soap opera. No one actually does that in the real world. And if they do well then there not worth it." My father signaled with his hands that that would be the end of my paranoia.

"Besides, what's not to like. You have a body that can be envied if you put on the right cloths. And with a little help from my makeup your face will be glowing with beauty. Dimitri won't be able to take his eyes off of you." Here it came, the inevitable you need to change talk. I knew it was just a matter of time before my mother brought it up.

"Janine." My father reprimanded my mother. "She is fine just the way she is; if this boy won't like her unless she's got makeup and girly dresses then he's not worth it." My father ended the conversation and I almost high fived him for standing in my favor.

I got out of the kitchen to avoid any further third degree my mom seemed to be dishing out, and went to my room.

Christian was going to get here in a couple of minutes. I called him before I entered the house. His phone rang several times before he managed to answer it. The voice that answered was almost unrecognizable, he sounded like a chain smoker; his voice all croaky and awful. I almost couldn't get past it to ask him what I needed.

But once I did he seemed more suspicious than ever for my want of the book. It took several reminders that he was the one who ditched me today for him to let me borrow the book. He owed me big time.

I took out my journal from my dark blue desk drawer and began doodling to keep my mind straight. It was all loops within loops looking like a tangled up web; my thoughts were no different.

Dimitri told me to read the book. Fine, I get that but what does he expect me to find? There was nothing in there but old remedies and some fictional creatures.

Unless, of course, the ritual; the one that was so similar to my dream. A thought occurred to me, maybe it wasn't about demons and portals. Maybe someone believed that demons and portals were real, and they imitated the ritual. The murder I'm witnessing could be the act of some psychopath that believes the rituals are true.

But then it would mean that I'm actually seeing a murder in my head, which is just as supernatural as demons.

This is hopeless; I was building something rational out of something that was completely un-rational. How could I criticize the demon theory if I myself believe I'm witnessing a murder through an out of body experience?

I heard the doorbell ring interrupting my jumbled thoughts. That had to be Christian. I rushed down the stairs before my parents could answer the door and was met by Christian already standing in my living room. He was under the hard gaze of my mother.

"Christian, you are here, good, come on lets go to my room." I said in a single breath.

"So, Christian," My mother kept staring at him until he flinched, "you and Rose be careful now."

"Of course Ma'm." Ma'm? Since when does Christian say Ma'm.

"Good." She walked back into the kitchen. Christian visible exhaled in relief.

"Ro, your mom is scary."

I looked at him hard. "What? Don't tell me you're still mad at me." I didn't answer. I turned away and led him upstairs without speaking.

"Ro, I'm sorry I left you, ok." He nudged me with his shoulder. "Can you forgive me?" He pleaded. He was going to have to beg a lot more than that to gain my forgiveness.

As soon as we made it to my room I shut the door behind him—I didn't want anyone to hear this—and released the fury of hell.

"What the hell is a matter with you? How could you leave me? No, how could you not invite me, you knew I always wanted to ditch." I yelled out. "You cared more about a book then me, your best friend in the whole wide world."

He put his arms on my shoulders. "Rose, call down. You need to breathe."

"I am breathing!"

"Good. Now do you want to hear the reason I had to ditch?" I frowned. "I promise it will be good." Damn, now I was curious.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." He better. "That passage, the one you showed me, I've read it before." His face scrunched up. "Well, I am not sure if I read it, but it sounded really familiar."

"Familiar?" It's a demon summoning ritual, how could that be familiar to anyone?

"I don't know why, it just is? The memory is like really far away I almost have to squint to remember it, but it's there, I know it."

"And why didn't you mention it before. It seems like something you would mention the second you heard it?"

"Because I didn't know I knew it till after I read the passage. It was like it brought back a memory I had long forgotten." I could tell from his voice that he was confused.

"That still doesn't explain why you ditched me."

"I am getting to that part." He shook his head at my impatience. "I wanted to know if maybe I had read it in another book. So I went home and looked through my stack. And the only way I could do that is if I faked an illness so my mom would let me stay. I couldn't bring you along, what was I going to tell her, I'm sick but let my friend stay with me in my room."

My fingers fidgeted in annoyance. "Couldn't you wait till after school to do that?"

"Rose" He gave me that_ are you kidding with me _face. "Have you seen how into this I am? Do you think I would have survived the whole day without knowing?" He did have a point. He would not have survived one hour let alone seven.

"Well you still should have told me, I was waiting for you at the table like a dumb ass."

He sagged in defeat. "Ok, I am guilty of that, sorry. But it was kind of a last minute decision. It came to me when I was walking to class."

"So, did you find the book?" I asked. Believe it or not I was dying to know.

"Nope, I could have heard that passage anywhere though. I'm not sure if it was necessarily a book, but it has to be. I spent my life with my nose in a book." His face became solemn. "If the book is back in the library we'll never find it. We've been through too many of their books to retrace our steps."

"What about The Seer's Handbook? Does that have anything about it?" I didn't know what compelled me to ask. It was like the words blurted from my lips without my knowledge.

"The what?"

"The Seer's Handbook, you know that book on your drawer." Why was I explaining this to him? He should know what book I am talking about. The title is kind of weird; it's not one you'd forget.

"Rose," He said slowly, "I don't have a book called The Seer's Handbook."

What? "But I saw it it was in your room yesterday." Was he lying straight to my face now?

"Rose, trust me, if there was a book in my room called The Seer's Handbook, I would know about it. I turned my room upside down yesterday looking through all of my books. There was not one in there called that. It was just my comics and the same old ones I've let you read."

"Ok then." I let it go. I knew what I saw though. That book was there, I was sure of it. But I was sure of Christian too, he looked so sincere. I couldn't not believe he was telling the truth.

"Here." He said as he passed me the book. "You asked me for this."

"Yes." I said as I grabbed the leather book. I had already forgotten about it. I was still thinking about the other one. There was something about the title that stuck with me. Seer; the word caused me to feel something in my chest. It was like trying to remember a dream you know you had, a dream that you try so hard to recall but your mind doesn't want to bring it back to you.

I set the book against my desk, saving it for later, before another thought occurred to me. Christian was kind of creepy and he loved scowering the town for places to hang out in. He always said he felt more at peace when he was out of his house. Christian might have found the place I'm looking for in one of his scowers.

There was something deep inside me that knew my dreams were true. I couldn't explain it, but the feeling was there; always looming, never letting me be at peace. I knew suddenly with such certainty why the dreams were not letting me be at peace. It was like I had known all along and refused to believe it till this moment. The dreams were not going to leave me alone till I found it; till I found the truth, till I found who killed Natalie.

It was like a lightning bolt had struck me; I didn't want to believe it at first. I didn't want Natalie to be dead, but I knew that she was. She didn't run away like the rumors said.

"Christian, do you know of an empty house, maybe one that's been abandoned and has graffiti on the door and scratches." I said, recalling the dream.

His head snapped up. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Just answer the question." I whispered impatiently.

"Maybe," he looked at me his eyes narrowed. He knew exactly the place I was talking about. I could see it.

"Where?" I stared at him till he fessed up.

"By Whittier Road."

My breathing stopped completely. "That's where the cemetery is at."

"Yeah, it's in a little shacked up corner, a few feet away from all the tomb stones, there's this little room. No one goes in there. It was made like over 50 years ago by the coroner; he was the only one who used it till he died. Now it's just there; taking up space. No one really knows about it unless they venture in the cemetery and stumble upon it. It's really hidden, behind tress and mossy vines. It blends in."

I looked at him weirdly. "When the hell were you venturing in the cemetery?"

"It's a nice place to go and think, don't look at me that way."

"What way?"

"You're getting that face. The one that says you're crazy but you are too nice to say it out loud."

_That was exactly what I was thinking._

"You tell me you basically hang out in a cemetery and you expect me to be all normal about it."

"Rose, look at me." Christian's, shaggy black hair fell over his face; his beady blue eyes peaked from behind the strands. "Don't I look like someone who hangs out in a cemetery?"

Looking at it, he kind of does. He looked like one of those psycho kids you would find hiding behind graves, awaiting there next victim.

"Okay, you've got a point. It still doesn't mean you should be proving it. I thought you went against conforming."

"I am." He looked at me seriously. "Rose, you shouldn't go there."

"Where?" I asked innocently.

He gave an annoyed breath. "You know what I am talking about; the room. Don't go there."

I lifted my chin up. "And why not?" I challenged.

"You wouldn't like it." Christian didn't explain it further, even though I kept pestering him about it.

He left shortly after, leaving the heavy questions unanswered. Christian was becoming a mystery to me; he was hiding something, I didn't like it.

Christian and I were supposed to tell each other everything. We never kept secrets. He was the only person in the world I could trust, and now I didn't know if I could say the same.

My life was becoming a mess. It scared me to think that the person I was beginning to trust more was Dimitri. Crap, what had this world come too.

I spent the next several hours busying myself with school work. Calculus especially took up a great deal of my time, with all the derivatives and anti-derivatives. I mean why have an anti-derivative; is it like the derivatives evil brother.

I was in the middle of my English homework when I snapped. I could not keep up the pretense anymore. The book was just lying there, comfortably, on my desk, begging me to open it. I had avoided it long enough.

As soon as I realized this I ran the short distance to my desk and slammed open the book in my eagerness.

I scanned the same words I remembered—silly of me to believe anything had changed. Still I went through it all pausing at the page I discovered this morning—really this morning, it seemed much longer than that.

There was something about this page, the yellowed paper held much meaning to me. The shadow and the ritual, those were the only parts in the book that directed towards my dreams. I knew they were important when I read it. I knew that this is what I was seeing: A demon summoning ritual.

The portals of hell would have to open in order for a demon to come out. And somebody performed the ritual using Natalie's blood. Whether they opened the portals—which I seriously doubt—or were disappointed with the result is not clear. What if it is some psycho killer that is out there? Is that what Dimitri was trying to tell me, that there is a deranged murderer on the loose.

But why couldn't he just tell me that? Unless, what did Dimitri say. He said something about not being too quick to discredit the book. Could it be that Dimitri believes in all of this demon crap?

The cold truth hit me. Of course Dimitri believes in it, how else could he believe in my dreams. And how he thinks that ears are everywhere hearing us. I felt like an idiot. The only one who believes my dreams is a guy who believes in demons. That thought didn't really help, in fact it discouraged me. How could I believe I was seeing Natalie's death? How could I let the thought that someone actually believed me turn into this whole chase for a murderer that doesn't exist?

Natalie was probably having a big laugh over the scandal she created. Maybe she went to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She could be anywhere, and me having a dream that she was killed doesn't mean anything. People have dreams all the time and they don't blow it into this huge deal. They usually forget about them. Which is exactly what I should do?

I had to convince myself that Natalie was alive, that she was well. Only she wasn't.

The ten o clock news broke it first. The body of a sixteen year old girl was found in the trunk of a car. Apparently neighbors had reported a foul smell coming from inside it. The police were all over the scene ruling the cause of death as murder.

According to the reporters there was a gash in the victim's neck. I didn't need to see the next headline to know who it was, Natalie Dashkov.

I woke up the next morning, startled. My heart beat thumped erratically, and I was taking shallow gasps of air. Finding Natalie's body only made everything more real, more scary.

The images of my latest dream were etched permanently into my mind. I just wanted this to be over already.

I spent the rest of the morning getting ready, trying to avoid the dream at all cost. But even as I finished dressing I couldn't help a glance at the book. The early morning light shined through my window landing directly on my desk, illuminating the book.

I made a fast decision and grabbed it, stuffing it into my backpack. It might come in handy when I need to beat the shit out of someone, I told myself. But I knew that wasn't the only reason.

My eyes glanced quickly toward the bottom of my bed. I wasn't desperate enough to get it. What was hidden underneath would hopefully never come to use.

I rushed down the stairs—I was running late—and barely managed to grab a banana before I was shoved out the door by my sister.

It was a strange morning; Mia didn't say one word to me. Even as she evaluated my outfit she kept her mouth shut. We were usually quiet but we always exchanged at least a couple of words.

Mia kept her head inclined straight ahead; blue eyes always on the road, pink pouty lips set in a grim line. Something was not right. I wondered if she heard the news.

"Mia." I said breaking the silence—the radio wasn't even on. "Are you ok?" No answer. "Is this because of Natalie?

She glanced at me confused. "Natalie, why would this be about her?"

"Because of what happened to her."

She scoffed "I didn't know her. So she died, big deal, from what I remembered she was an attention hog. Always trying to get people's attention. She was annoying if you ask me."

"Okay then." I said quickly. I mean what do you respond to that. I know Mia and Natalie didn't really talk, but you tend to talk nice about someone once they're dead. At least most of us do. The irony is that when Mia arrives to school, she's going to be acting like if Natalie was a saint. She can only ever be real with me.

"So." I dragged. "Why were you so quiet?"

"You still don't get it do you." She looked upset. "Don't you even remember what you did?"

"Umm no." What did I do? If anything I should be mad at her, she left me yesterday.

She looked at me expectantly. "What?" I asked.

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Yes." What did she think I was; a mind reader.

"You," she glanced at me before turning her eyes back on the road, "you were with Dimitri yesterday. IN HIS CAR!" Oh, that.

"How did you know about that?" I gasped.

"I saw you get out of his car from my window." She sounded mad. "What the hell Rose, you know that I like him. That I've wanted to talk to him for like ever and you're trying to snag him from under me."

I could tell that she was trying to make me feel bad. It kind of worked. I mean, my sister did like him, and I was being a pretty fucked up sister by going out with him; but in my offense it wasn't my fault.

Actually—"This is your fault." I told Mia.

"Mine." She looked at me shocked. "How could you blame this on me?"

"Because you left me stranded in school yesterday."

"So you looked for some payback. Way to hit below the belt." She looked at me like she didn't know me. "I expected better from you Rose, you're not like this. This isn't you."

"I didn't try to get revenge." I yelled out. "I was walking home when Dimitri saw me and offered me a ride. That was it."

She looked like she didn't quite believe me. "Then why did you last so long getting home. It wouldn't have taken that long."

"Because he took me to eat—"

"Aha. I knew it." She sounded betrayed.

"Let me finish. He took me to eat because he needed to ask me a question on umm," I thought of something fast, "on calculus. He needed help with his homework and since I'm the only person he's talked to he thought he should ask me. So it took us a long time to finish the work."

"And that's it." She asked skeptically.

"Yep."

"Good." She immediately relaxed. "I knew it couldn't be anything. Especially with how you looked. No offense sis, but you kind of looked like shit yesterday." Great, just great.

She turned on the radio and started humming to the upbeat pop song that was playing. She was completely content even going as far as taping her fingers against the wheel and swaying her hips in her seat.

Yep, she was completely content that Dimitri was still free. Too bad he was a little more freaky than she likes. I would love to see the look on her face when she finds out Dimitri has more things in common with Christian than with her.

As soon as we got to school, as expected, the topic of everyone's conversation was Natalie. The students were all huddled in little circles talking in hushed tones. Many were speculating over who could have done it. Someone even went as far as suggesting that she paid someone to do it so she could be the focus of attention. I couldn't believe someone was stupid enough to say that. It boiled my blood even more to find people agreeing with them.

That was the first time I rushed to first period. I couldn't stand to hear any more of their idiocy.

I sat in my usual seat and fidgeted, my knee kept bouncing up and down, and I couldn't make it stop for anything in the world. Everyone kept running their mouth about Natalie, I couldn't escape her.

Mason was once again sitting in the seat behind mine, thankfully. I really needed to talk to Dimitri. He might be the only one who could help me. This whole Natalie thing was driving me crazy. And the dream, last night's dream. I couldn't get it out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes I would see it.

This wasn't a normal dream. In my dreams there were always two people: Natalie and the shadow. But this time when I surfaced into the candle covered room someone else appeared.

I stood there, in my normal spot, as I watched Natalie's impending doom. I watched as the shadowed man emptied her blood in a bowl and drew with it upon the floor. My usual dreams had always gone this far.

I was surprised when I watched him finish the crest, he never finished the drawing. His blood covered hand traced the last images of the swords piercing the crest before he stood and turned his back on the drawing, as if he didn't want to see it. The room had gotten so hot at this point; I was surprised I didn't burst into flames. And then, impossibly so, it got hotter. So hot I could barely breathe; the heat ensnared me in a cocoon.

My vision blurred but I felt rather than saw the huge hole that appeared in the center of the room. The room shook and the floor crumbled to bits it was like a huge earthquake hit one small part of the earth—it was only about four feet wide.

I chanced a glance and felt my breath come in rasps because before me a mist appeared to leak out of the hole. It looked kind of like smog, before it got darker and chunkier. Even worse, the feeling it brought sucked at my soul. I was drained of everything only to be replaced by a deep burning that scratched at my insides, like a monster burst free in my belly. In that moment I wanted to die. I wanted to be taken away from this world to escape the horror I was feeling. I would do anything to leave; as soon as that thought entered my head the mist seemed to gravitate in my direction. As if I had called to it. In my lucrative state the mist appeared to have eyes, eyes that saw through me. Eyes that knew I was there.

The dream seemed so familiar. With a shock I remembered why? When I was eleven, there was a whole month I got weird dreams. It was right after people started calling me a freak. And in these dreams a dark mist would would have dark piercing eyes and claws from hell. I was always scared of it. The feeling it brought burned me to the bone. I would wake up screaming like a lunatic. My dad would come rushing into my room to calm me down, I was hysterical. I would cry into his chest each night and tell him they were out to get me. He would always ask what, what baby girl, what is out to get you. And I would answer back, demons. Demons were out to get me.

I was transported back into the presence when Dimitri entered the classroom. His tall frame walked through the door, menacing and charming all at once. He was a package deal; a two for one.

He took the seat next to mine, his dark hair in its usual disarray. One glance at me told him everything. He knew that I knew. It was written all over my face.

We sat there in silence. I wanted nothing more than to harass him with questions. Everyone in class was focused on gossiping about Natalie, they wouldn't notice.

I opened my mouth to speak when he beat me to it.

"I know what you're going to say." He said. "And let me tell you now that I am not going to answer them here."

I huffed in annoyance. Why do I always have to wait with him?

The class quieted down once Mr. Nagy entered. He didn't acknowledge any of us; he only wrote down our assignment for the day, on the board, and assigned us to work in pairs. Probably thinking the arrangement worked out perfectly since we were all sitting in pairs to begin with.

The sound of pencil on paper filled the whole classroom. The quiet whispers of the students were hardly noticeable. "So what changed your mind?" Dimitri asked, ten minutes into our work.

I wasn't sure if I should unleash the whole Natalie dream on him. I didn't know him that well, and the dream felt really personal. I wanted to keep it to myself until I was sure I could trust him with it.

Instead, I gave him the gist of what caused it. "I saw something." I could tell he got what I was meaning.

"And what was it?" The curiosity was evident in his tone.

"So you're allowed to ask me about my dreams but I can't ask you anything. Is this how it's going to work?"

"You couldn't ask me yesterday." He whispered more quietly than before, "but today I can answer a few things; just not here." He looked around. "And maybe you should save the dream for later, too. I don't even know why I was asking you. I guess I was just curious."

"So later?" I asked. _Please promise me you're going to tell me, I am dying over here._

He thought about it. "Sure, later."

"Mr. Nagy." A voice from the back called. My sister. "I don't get these problems you assigned." She currently had two partners because she was sitting alone—probably still hoping Dimitri would sit next to her. Her partners were her two cheerleader best friends. They sometimes came over to our house to discuss with Mia the advantages of make-up and stuff like that.

"Well, Miss Hathaway, you have to resolve them with your partners." Mr. Nagy perched his glasses on the tip of his nose.

"Can I switch partners? I think I need someone else to help me." She pouted her full pink lips. Oh no. I could see where this was going. Even in light of everything that happened, my sister would never give up on a chase.

"I don't see any problem in that."

"Thank you." She squeaked innocently. Only I could see the horns popping out. She gathered her papers and came straight toward Dimitri and I. Without giving it another thought she pulled up and empty chair and sat it next to Dimitri; a little too close to him, if you ask me.

"So, Dimitri, I hear you're good with math." She said smiling prettily at him, dimpling. Her shiny hair shimmered down her shoulders and her eyes appeared larger with the dose of mascara she dapped on.

"Really, from whom might I ask?"

"Well, because you and Rose worked on homework together, yesterday."_Crap._

"Did we?" He turned his head towards me. I gave him a pleading look with my eyes. "Oh yes, we did."

I exhaled relieved that he had backed me up.

"Right after I had my way with her on the restaurant table."

My jaw nearly dropped. Shit I spoke to soon.

"You what? With my sister, what?" Mia was speechless.

"Oh gosh, he's joking Mia." I said quickly. "Seriously, how could you believe that? And you," I pointed at Dimitri, "Have got to stop making all these sexual comments."

"Sexual comments," He smirked. "And here I thought we were talking about the lovely dinner we had."

I snorted. "Oh I'm sure that's what you were talking about."

"Why are you trying to dirty my gentleman manners with your sick mind?" He said mockingly.

"Ha, gentleman manner. You wouldn't know a gentleman if he poked you in the eye with his pinky finger."

"Yes, my dear, but then he wouldn't be a gentleman." A throat clearing forced us to straighten. We had been unconsciously leaning towards each other; our arms were brushing, our chest nearly meeting.

"Well, going back to the class work." Mia began; it had been her throat that had cleared.

"Yes, Mia, back to the work." Dimitri stared at her straight in the eyes clearly flustering her. "You can copy my work, I finished it minutes ago, and then when you're done you can time a certain experiment I thought of. It's about human pheromones; I want to see how long Rose could resist mine before we have at it. You could time that too if you want."

I elbowed him, hard, in the ribs, but it just ended up hurting my elbow because ow, he was really ripped. Not to the extreme where he was scary ripped; he had long lean muscles which looked wonderful.

I looked at him hard. He was doing this on purpose. "Fine, I guess I might lose against Rose's pheromones too. They do smell quite intoxicating; mouthwatering." His eyes glinted.

Mia kept looking back and forth between us. "Well, Mia, you wanted to know how Dimitri is, and now you have unleashed the asshole." I told her.

She was speechless; she just sat there staring straight toward the white board. I don't think she expected Dimitri to be like this, he was a little too straight forward. Mia liked her men to tell her how pretty she was, and to always admire her. She didn't want them to have a mind of their own. And Dimitri was exactly the opposite. He was a smart mouth, who said what he believed, and was a major tease.

"I think you pushed her to the edge." I whispered to Dimitri. Mia's eyes looked empty; they were no lights on in her brain.

"She'll get over it." He shrugged. "You still want to do the experiment." He grinned.

"Shut up." I laughed.

"Is that a yes?" His eyes were smoldering. I didn't answer.

When the bell rang I fully expected Dimitri to rush out of the room. He surprised me when he stayed in his seat. I put all my things back into my pack and stood up to leave when he stopped me.

"You don't have anything important to do right now, do you?" He asked.

"Aside from going to class, no I don't."

"Good, let's go." He pulled me out of my seat and led me into the hallway, pushing his way through the horde of people.

"Where are we going?"

He turned his head towards me, "somewhere we could be alone."

We waited till the hallway cleared before I let him take me out of school. It was easier than I expected, we simply walked out the front double door and were met by no opposition. Why hadn't I done this before?

His black Mercedes was parked in the back of the parking lot. I was worried that a school official would spot us, but again, no one was out there. It was too easy, getting out of school.

When we reached his car he went ahead of me, stopping in front of the passenger door. For one wild second I thought he was going to let me drive but then he opened the door and signaled for me to get in.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What? You accused me of not being a gentleman. I need to change your mind somehow. Isn't opening doors for a lady the most gentlemanly thing a man could do?"

"So you'll open doors for me just to prove a point? What else can I make you do?" I said as I slid into the car.

"Anything you want, darling."

I chose to ignore the sexual innuendo. He closed the car door and made his way around the car.

"So, are we going to any place in particular?" I asked once we were settled in. He turned the car on and sped away, leaving the school behind.

"Nope, were staying in the car." I looked at him weirdly. "What, there's no place safer than in this baby."

"So what, your car has armor that protects against demons." I clasped my hand over my mouth hard enough to make a smacking sound. I couldn't believe I'd said that out loud.

Dimitri didn't say anything, but he was gripping the wheel harder than usual. I could see the blue veins bulging out of the back of his hands; they looked like they were going to explode from the force.

"Not armor." He finally answered. "I just know for sure that no one is in here hearing us. Besides that the car is moving at a pretty high velocity so our voices are pretty much distorted by the sound of my engine." No one is hearing us? Like a demon? Was I actually believing this now? I think I was; I spent all those years helping Christian out convincing myself that all these things were crap, but maybe deep down I believed it as much as he did. Why else would I have helped him out for so long?

"Let me get this straight. I needed to read the book that say's nothing about this crap because—"

"Well, I would prefer you had the other book but you don't." Other book?

"What other book?"

"The one you were supposed to get." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I'm sure my faced conveyed how lost I felt. "Hell, that's right, you don't know anything about this crap." He looked like he was struggling to find the right words."You see, you were supposed to be given a book when you became of age."

"But I'm still not of age, I'm only sixteen—"

"Not that age, when I say that it's more like when you hit puberty. You were chosen at a young age, and the one who chose you was supposed to give you a book when you became of age. That way you wouldn't be heading into this blindly." He rushed out.

Puberty. I hit it when I was around eleven. In my sixth grade year.

"What happened to me when I became of age?"

He looked at me with those deep brown eyes before he answered. "You became a seer. Well technically you always were, it just laid dormant within you till you matured."

A seer, why did that name sound so familiar to me? Where had I heard it before? Could it be….

"Why didn't I get the book?" Was it possible that whoever made me like this lost hope in me? Did they deicide I wasn't worth being a seer?

He looked at me sincerely, "I don't know. A seer is never left blind, it's unheard of." The lines on his face became worried. "We can't let anyone find out about you. If they know that there's an untrained seer, well." He shot a nervous glance at me. "Let's just say you don't want to find out."

I knew it; all along I knew I was different. It just felt weird to have my suspicions confirmed. I felt like a huge weight lifted off me. I finally knew what was wrong with me. But at the same time I didn't. What the hell is a seer?

"So I'm a seer." He nodded. "And what is that, exactly?"

He exhaled, frustrated. "I really should not be the one telling you this." His face looked defeated. "I'll try though."

"Yes." I encouraged.

"You see a seer, see's things." He said stating the obvious."Things that haven't happened and things that have. They look between the past and the future so they could act on the present." We were traveling away from the town; I could see the houses begin to fade from the window, merging into trees. Orange and green trees began to blend together; the interstate became longer curving downward in the end where it disappeared.

"So, I could see things, like the past, and also the future?"

"Yes." He said it like if he was in pain.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "I'm not supposed to tell you this."

"And why not, because someone forbade you to? Didn't you just tell me yesterday not to let myself be pushed around? Well it looks to me like you are doing the same thing." I argued. Dimitri was always criticizing me for being a push over. He was being a hypocrite.

He smiled at me. "Wow, you do listen. Why do you think I told you that? Because I know how it feels like to be treated like dirt, but unlike me you have a choice."

"What do you mean? Why don't you have a choice?" Who doesn't have a choice now a days? We live in the country of the free, right?

"It's complicated." He winced. "But today's not about me. Since no one showed you the ropes, I guess I have to do it. If you want?" He was giving me a choice. But I already knew the answer.

"Yes, I do want you to." I wanted nothing more than to know who I was.

"Good, but I'll warn you, I might not a very good teacher."

"I don't care. I have to take what I can get, right." I joked. It worked he laughed. His eyes crinkled up in the sides, and I saw light dimple's appear on his cheeks.

I went back to business before I got too caught up on his dimpling cheeks. "So, does it only come in my dreams, these visions."

The car jerked sideways, scaring me a little before Dimitri righted it. "What?" He asked. "Oh man we got our work really cut out for us." His eyes became stressed. "You mean you're still not able to get your visions at will."

"At will? I can do that?"

"Yes you can." He looked frustrated again. "When you're sleeping you're more in tune with the natural order of your body, but you've got to learn how to harness that while you are awake. That way you're open to your visions. You don't know how much you need this."

"No, I don't know, why don't you tell me, everything."

He looked desperate before a determination overtook his features. "Ok, I'll try. But I don't know everything. I could only tell you the parts I know. What you really need is your book. We've got to find it, it could be anywhere."

"Book, Seer, Book." I mumbled. "Do you know the name of the book?"

"Well, every seer has a unique book; it comes to them in a form that is best for the seer. The name could be anything; it's made for the seer to recognize it." He looked pensive.

"But I don't know anything about this book. If it comes in a form I would recognize, then wouldn't the name have to be something obvious? Otherwise how would I know what it is?"

His eyes brightened, for the first time he looked hopeful. "You're right it would have to be something obvious."

I knew then which book I needed.

"I need The Seer's Handbook."


End file.
